


When the snow falls

by Gigi_Bell



Series: Recovery [11]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Anxiety Attacks, Bullying, Byun Baekhyun-centric, Childhood Memories, Divorce, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nerd Byun Baekhyun, Pining, Popular Park Chanyeol, Self-Esteem Issues, Sweet Park Chanyeol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-17 13:28:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 23,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28725873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gigi_Bell/pseuds/Gigi_Bell
Summary: “Don’t think about that. Just think about whether or not you want to... be with me. I think I’ve made it pretty clear I don’t care about anyone’s opinions.”“... okay... I’ll think..”“Good.” Chanyeol smiled at his profile, “Think for as long as you want, baby. I’ll wait.”(Baekhyun found it hard to believe someone like Chanyeol could like him, but the truth was right in front of his face in the form of a million hopeful grins)
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol
Series: Recovery [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2106513
Comments: 35
Kudos: 278
Collections: Best Of CB's Fic





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kkaebs614](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kkaebs614/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This work is solely mine, I do not allow stories to be posted on any other site, and any translations that are done will be posted here on my own page, I don’t allow my works to be posted under any other accounts.

Baekhyun never liked school. He never enjoyed any part of it actually. At least not until now.

All throughout elementary and middle school he'd been the one that got teased and picked on. Paper airplanes thrown at him, his projects disappearing, and his cubby being stolen.

Baekhyun never knew what he did to anyone, he'd been a good kid and yet many people teased him and stole his juice boxes.

He used to talk to so many people despite that, it wasn’t that _everyone_ picked on him, just a few, but it was difficult for him as a kid to understand that.

And now things were even more difficult.

Baekhyun was sixteen years old. He'd just become a junior in high school. He liked to read about animals because he wanted to work as a veterinarian.

And this year his parents had gotten divorced. 

It was a long time coming in all honesty. Baekhyun was no stupid kid, he was a very bright kid in fact. But he could remember them arguing for as long as he could remember. Over money, over infidelity, over _everything_ really.

That didn't mean it hurt any less when his father sat him down and said he would be leaving, and that Baekhyun could come with him if he wanted.

A small part of Baekhyun resented his father for that, for giving up after so long, when he only had two more years of high school left.

Baekhyun stopped hanging out with his friends outside of school, he drifted off by himself, he didn’t even flinch when people called him _four eyes_ or laughed at his cheap clothing.

He was just _done._

Even if his friends tried to speak with him at school Baekhyun didn’t feel up to it, he would sit with them and let Kyungsoo pat his back or lean into Yixing’s arm. But it felt so _lonely._

Baekhyun decided he was just _made_ to be alone. 

Well, he'd thought so until recently he noticed something strange. Something so cheesy he thought for sure one of his friends was up to this to try and cheer him up.

Notes. A lot of notes. His locker was stuffed full and some of them were just the cheesiest of drawings.

This had been going on for a good two weeks, and Baekhyun felt… something odd when looking at them, like he had a secret he shouldn’t tell people about.

There was a new one today, the edge was all crumpled up from being shoved through the cracks of the locker and it was written on plain lined paper. **_You look sad lately, what’s wrong?_ **Followed by a bunch of sad faces and doodles of flowers.

“Watch it, Byun!” Someone called before Baekhyun yelped and dropped his books when he was pushed to the side. 

It was his fault, he sighed, only an idiot would stand in the middle of the hallway.

 _“Hey!”_ Baekhyun startled at the yell, thinking it was for him, but as he looked up from the tiles, kneeling down to collect his things, he noticed it was Park Chanyeol yelling and felt more than relieved.

Park Chanyeol was _strange._

The first time Baekhyun ever recalled speaking to Chanyeol was in first grade, on the playground. He'd misplaced his glasses somewhere at recess and Chanyeol tried to help him find them because Baekhyun could barely see without them. 

In the end, Chanyeol took him to the teacher and claimed he accidentally _broke them._ Which wasn’t true at all.

Baekhyun knew that the boy had only said that because when looking for the ugly tan glasses Baekhyun had sobbed snottily how his mom was going to be so _mad_ at him _._

Chanyeol's parents scolded him in front of Baekhyun that day, but when they gave Baekhyun's parents money for new glasses, his mom didn’t look mad at him at all.

And in the end Baekhyun ended up with _two_ pairs of glasses, because Junmyeon found his old ones stuffed in the back of the toy chest like someone had taken them.

Baekhyun didn’t doubt they had taken them. Students always picked on him. 

Never Park Chanyeol though. He couldn’t recall one time where Chanyeol had looked down on him, or Kyungsoo, Junmyeon.. any of his “weird” friends.

He was always just… _there._ But never quite doing anything to them.

Sometimes he jumped in, like in sixth grade when Kyungsoo took a fall off the swings and people laughed even though he’d broken his arm. Chanyeol and his friends had helped him to the office.

Even then, the acts of kindness from bystanders made Baekhyun feel… less… _guilty._ Because if others could see he hadn’t been doing anything then it was easier to recognize that maybe… just maybe he didn’t deserve to be harassed like this.

Or maybe that was just the effect Park Chanyeol had on him. 

Baekhyun didn’t know why but his stomach always tingled when he saw the athlete. 

It was a ridiculous thought, a football player would never go for him, let alone _Park Chanyeol_ who was known to be “cool” and “popular,” his parents were rich and it was all people spoke about. 

That in itself made Baekhyun a little sad too. He wondered if it bothered Chanyeol to know his name was associated with _money_ rather than the fact he was smart and he was good at sports… of course Baekhyun would never ask him that though.

 _“He wasn’t doing shit!”_ Chanyeol boomed through the hallway, stepping out of his group of friends to walk up to a shorter male, “I suggest you apologize, Yoon.”

A scoff sounded and Baekhyun hated to hear it, he swallowed and ducked his head to pick up his things as the arguing continued.

“Or what, Park?” 

“Or what?” Chanyeol snickered, “The _or what_ is your face meeting my _fist._ Baekhyun didn’t do shit to you and you and your measly little shit friends follow him and his friends around just to pick on them - tell me why? Is it because your dick is too small or something? Do you feel better about your small dick when beating up on them?” 

A crowd of laughter sounded and Baekhyun could only manage a shaking laugh as he collected his things, looking up when the sound of footsteps occured and he sat back on his heels.

“Hey,” Sehun murmured and knelt down to help get his things, “You okay? I know… they’re always on you, but.. you know, it’s just because they’re bullies. Let me-“

“No.” Baekhyun mumbled and shook his head. His black rimmed glasses sliding down his nose a bit. “It’s because I’m weird. I know.” 

Sehun was a year younger like Jongin, another athlete that hung around Chanyeol, but they’d spoken a couple of times. It was hard not to when their middle school had been so small that all age groups shared a recess. 

Things in high school were tough when suddenly he was thrust onto a campus with all these new people walking around and their campus went from 100 students to 600. 

Even if he’d been teased in school back then, Baekhyun missed how small it was and how he could know everyone all at once.

Nowadays he didn’t even bother trying to learn who was teasing him, he just sighed and walked it off, because it was _just_ a typical Monday for him.

“You're no-“

_“I got it, Sehun.”_

Baekhyun jerked and nearly dropped his things again when large hands were brushing his to take the books from him. 

“I’ll get an apology out of him eventually,” Chanyeol chided playfully, “Maybe a hit or two would serve him good.” 

“Oh!” Baekhyun began to shake his head adamantly, “No, no it’s okay! N-No need!”

Chanyeol stared at him a moment too long and Baekhyun chewed on his lip as he got flustered and reached out to snatch his books, “Thank you for the help!” He cried with pink cheeks, turning to his opened locker.

For a minute while he shoved his things inside the mint colored locker nervously there was no response, but he could feel the larger teen still lingering behind him. 

Baekhyun bent down to collect the last of some note cards at his feet before a throat cleared and he jerked when Chanyeol’s face was right in front of his own.

 _Handsome,_ Baekhyun thought when looking at Chanyeol’s almond shaped eyes. 

“You forgot something,” Chanyeol said with that deep voice of his that made Baekhyun’s hair stand on end.

Baekhyun was sure he turned bright red when Chanyeol held the lined paper out to him, “I…” Baekhyun stuttered and grabbed the note quickly, “I.. don’t know who-“

“There’s a puppy that looks like you on the back.” 

Baekhyun startled, swallowing thickly because he hadn’t even gotten that far to look at it, but Chanyeol was smiling really wide. “You know, just if you didn’t notice it,” Chanyeol added.

“Oh… I…” Baekhyun fixed his hair behind his ear and looked down at the paper to see that there _was_ a puppy drawn on the back with droopy eyes and all.

Did Chanyeol just notice it on the back right now? Or…

A feeling of excitement rushes through him, face aflame and pushing his hair back, “Chanyeol, a-are you-“ when he looked up Chanyeol had already walked away, likely when he was looking at the puppy, because the broad shouldered teen was already across the hallway.

Baekhyun sighed, _of course it’s not him. Don’t kid yourself._

***

Baekhyun’s parents never had much money, so he didn’t get to have food brought from off campus or even his lunches packed. He never did.

He got the free lunch food that was provided for the “poor kids” as he’d been teased for once before. But that was okay with him, even if he looked odd being the only one at his lunch table with an old, slimy looking sandwich on his tray while his friends had packed lunches.

“No way, Baek.” Jongdae scoffed across the table, “There’s no way it’s him. I mean… _Park Chanyeol?_ No.” 

Baekhyun sunk into his spot, pushing around odd colored peaches with his spoon.

“Hey! Shut the hell up!” Kyungsoo yipped, leaning over to deliver a hit to Jongdae's head, “You don’t know anything! You didn’t go to school with us before this!” 

“Yah! I’m just saying the obvious!” Jongdae whined.

“Baek…” Yixing sighed and rubbed his back, “I’m sure he just means… because you know, he’s _him_ and you’re _you…”_

Baekhyun dropped his head because the words stung. How could the words _you're you_ hurt more than being called _four eyes_ or shoved around? 

“Neither of you know anything,” Kyungsoo hissed across the table. “Both of you only became friends with us in high school. Park and his friends aren’t bad, they’ve been kind to us since we were little.”

“Sure you aren’t saying that because you have a huge crush on Kim Jongin?” 

Kyungsoo's face turned red and he threw his granola bar wrapper at Jongdae's face. “No! I’m not saying it because of that! I’m saying because they _have_ been! Like when we were in fourth grade, Baekhyun forgot food money for a field trip, and Chanyeol’s mom gave him extra so he bought him an entire meal!” 

“Well, Park is rich, I’m sure sparing a bit didn't bother him even a little,” Jongdae shrugged, “I’m sorry, guys. But I’m not buying it, he's a fucking jock, all of those fuck heads have picked on Baek or called us the weird kids.”

“... well,” Yixing murmured, a hand patting Baekhyun’s head, “For the record, I’ve personally never seen Chanyeol or like… Jongin or Sehun… ever say anything or do anything. In fact… wasn’t Sehun the one that helped Baek when he was locked in the showers last year?” 

Baekhyun felt anxiety swirl in his stomach at the reminder, reaching down to hold his stomach because he felt sick. 

Last year, at around this time of year he'd been shoved into the locker room and someone tied the door shut while he cried and banged on it.

The feeling of being trapped in a dark, cold room… it scarred him. After that incident Baekhyun couldn’t sleep with the lights off, and he couldn’t handle going to school without taking his anxiety medication. 

A sort of hopelessness filled him everytime he walked past the gym locker room by himself. He choked on his breath every time he had to, eyes going wide and aware to make sure nobody would shove him in there again. 

It wasn’t even until an hour after class was over, when Sehun was coming in to change for practice, that he’d found Baekhyun crying in the corner of the locker room.

He didn’t know what changed about them then, but after that Baekhyun noticed Chanyeol and his friends stayed pretty close when they saw each other. 

He’d often catch eyes with Chanyeol, and even though Chanyeol never looked away, Baekhyun was too embarrassed to continue looking at him without a reason to explain his staring. 

_“Chanyeol!”_

Baekhyun’s head raised and he jerked when he found Yixing’s hand fanning his face, unknowing when he’d been spacing out, but his friend looked at him worriedly. 

“Chanyeol!” Kyungsoo yelled again.

Baekhyun swallowed and sent pleading eyes across the table for Kyungsoo to shut his _mouth,_ but before he could yell and complain, Chanyeol was walking over from the doorway of the cafeteria, abandoning his friends.

Baekhyun squeaked and shoved his tray away to grab his backpack, planning to leave, but Yixing must have caught something was up and held his arm.

“What’s up, Kyungsoo?” The other asked, tucking his hands into his jeans, looking somewhat confused, but he looked around the table and flickered his eyes to Baekhyun and didn’t look upset to be pulled away from his friends at all.

“Chanyeol, Baekhyun hasn’t eaten much -“

 _“Hey!”_ Baekhyun yelped before he felt his ears turn red and ducked his head to look at his hands.

“- do you happen to have a snack or something. I told him he was going to get sick eating school food as the first thing of the day.” 

If Chanyeol noticed Kyungsoo had a pack of chips in his opened lunchbox he didn’t say anything, instead he shrugged and nodded, “Yeah, I just got back from getting food, give me a second.” 

As soon as he turned his back on them to go back to his table, Baekhyun screeched and started slapping his fist on the table, “Kyungsoo! What the hell are you doing-“

“Teaching blabbermouth over here that I’m always right.” Kyungsoo shrugged and picked a carrot out of his bag to throw down at the slush on Baekhyun’s tray.

“Blabbermouth?” Jongdae complained, “Hey! I’m not that bad!”

All three of them stared at him until he grumbled and slumped onto the table. 

“Hey, I’m just saying we are different from them.” He added with an audibly whine.

“Not all of the jocks are assholes,” Kyungsoo replied. 

“Still think you’re saying that because you want to fuck- _Ah Soo! Ow!”_ Jongdae screamed when a carrot hit his head.

Baekhyun went still when he saw Chanyeol’s tall form coming back over, spine straight and eyes wide as he took in how nicely Chanyeol's sweatshirt hugged his shoulders. 

He licked his lips and blushed at his own thought… but even when they were kids he could still recall thinking Chanyeol was so _sweet._

“Hey,” Chanyeol didn’t even acknowledge Kyungsoo this time, just walking around the table to stand beside Baekhyun and digging in a brown McDonald’s bag, “I don’t know what you like, so you’ll have to tell me next time before I go what you like,” He murmured, pulling out a meal of fries and box with a burger. 

He acted like this was something so pressing despite Baekhyun being red faced and wide eyed with nerves. He felt bad that Kyungsoo lied to him. This was Chanyeol’s food. “No-no.. I-“

“Here.” Chanyeol said instead, placing the entire bag on the table before standing up and digging a hand in his own pocket, pulling out a set of keys, “I’m just gonna do another trip. Send me a text if you want something specific, Baek.” 

Baekhyun’s mouth opened and closed a handful of times before he flustered and blabbered, “B-But I don’t have your number!” 

He heard his friends begin to laugh and his face was so red he didn’t even care, only staring at Chanyeol through his glasses.

But the other just laughed, he leaned over to grab Yixing’s pen lying on the table and without saying a thing grabbed Baekhyun’s hand to write on.

“And try to eat breakfast before school, okay?” Chanyeol murmured as he held Baekhyun’s wrist down so he could write, but Baekhyun felt like he was taking awfully long to just write his number. “It’s not healthy if you walk around school on an empty stomach. You could pass out. So try not to do that, Baek.” 

Baekhyun’s lips were open in shock, and he couldn’t even respond when Chanyeol’s eyes flickered to his.

He just sat there staring as Chanyeol gave the pen back and chuckled. “I’ll be back. Let me know if you guys want anything.” He mused, turning to walk off. 

They sat in silence longer than normal before slowly Jongdae reached over for the paper bag loudly.

“Baek…” Yixing worried, reaching up to pat his cheek, “Baekhyun?”

“He’s malfunctioning, give him a second,” Kyungsoo shrugged and stood up to reach over the table for the fries in front of Baekhyun. 

Baekhyun blinked multiple times. He even reached up to wipe his glasses clean, because he was sure he was seeing things wrong.

Did Chanyeol just write his number on him?

His eyes couldn’t lie to him when he blinked a bunch of times and _still_ the numbers were scrawled on his palm, and right beside it, a very, very familiar doodle of a puppy. 

It was hastily done, but Baekhyun knew what it meant.

“Wow, seems like our Baekhyunnie is right,” Yixing murmured, “I gotta go tell Jun about this!”

Baekhyun just continued looking at his hand in shock.

Park Chanyeol… liked _him?_

_Impossible._

***

Baekhyun had gotten scolded by Junmyeon. The elder boy didn’t spend as much time with them anymore because he was senior class president, and didn’t have time to.

But he’d been mad when Baekhyun hadn’t told him about the cute notes _or_ the incident in the hallways. 

So Baekhyun was only a _little_ pouty and ran off to spend his break in the library hiding from his friends who tattled on him. 

“You never texted me.” 

Suddenly a stack of books dropped in front of him and Baekhyun gasped at the loudness, shooting his eyes up strong arms to see Chanyeol with a frown on his face and a grey beanie on his head.

Chanyeol looked really cute like that, his hair curling around his beanie; Baekhyun’s heart was having trouble processing it.

“Was it something I said?” 

“What?” Baekhyun whispered, only half paying attention because he was staring at Chanyeol making himself comfortable on the other side of the table. 

Chanyeol licked his lips and adjusted his coat nervously, “.. I gave you my number.. you never texted.” 

Technically Baekhyun _had_ texted, Kyungsoo forced him to text in order for Chanyeol to have his number, but he’d been too nervous to reply back when Chanyeol texted him later that night.

 _“Oh.”_ Baekhyun shuffled and fiddled with his hands before looking down at the book he was reading. “Well, you said it was for food… so…” 

For a moment Chanyeol didn’t reply, he just laughed, until he noticed Baekhyun looking awkwardly down at his book.

“That’s how people say _text me,_ Baekhyun,” He murmured softly, “... like… you have to have a reason to give your number, it would be weird if I just said.. _take this and text me…”_

“I d-don’t think that would be weird.” Baekhyun whispered under his breath, running fingers along the edge of his book.

“Okay.” Chanyeol chuckled quietly, “Then… you should text me, Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun looked through his glasses sheepishly, quickly glancing back down at his book when Chanyeol just stared at him for a response. “... um.. Chanyeol?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Why were you putting things in my locker…” 

Chanyeol cleared his throat, and Baekhyun had never seen him nervous, but he looked to be.

He sort of just sat there for a moment, opening his books and looking around before he sighed and leaned back against his chair. “Well, I mean… I just noticed you’ve looked really sad lately… and… I just… _you know…”_

Baekhyun _didn’t_ know, but he was pretty sure he could find a reason for Chanyeol’s nervousness considering the notes he left could be… well, flirtatious.

“Oh, well,” Baekhyun chewed on his lip and brought one of his hands up to fiddle with his glasses, “I… uh… my parents… they split up so…”

He cringed because he knew he sounded painfully awkward, but it wasn’t exactly something he wanted to talk about, nor _have_ to talk about, because his friends didn’t pester him about it, and Baekhyun was grateful for that.

Abruptly, Chanyeol leaned closer with his chin in his hand and a small frown. “This is going to sound stupid, but it’s not going to be this painful forever, you know? I mean… it’s hard at first, especially if you have to go back and forth to visit, but…. did you know my parents divorced in ninth grade?” 

Baekhyun twisted his lips and gave a small shake of his head, because he hadn’t heard a word of that honestly. 

“Yeah..” Chanyeol murmured, “It was right when I made the baseball team too..” 

“I’m sorry..” 

“No,” Chanyeol shrugged, “It's okay… I mean, I found out I didn’t like baseball so when I dropped the team because I was upset it wasn’t so bad, I ended up liking football anyway. You should find something you like too, it helps take your mind off of it.” 

Baekhyun smiled a tiny bit, “Yeah… maybe I’ll do that…” 

“Good.” The larger teen murmured, a grin spreading on his face before he suddenly cleared his throat and looked down at Baekhyun’s books. “Do you mind if I study here?”

Shaking his head Baekhyun pulled his things closer to his side of the table, “No.. go ahead, I’m just… I’m reading about dogs…” He trailed off with a grimace before quickly blabbering, “Because I want to be a vet! Not… not because it’s fun or anything.. just… yeah…”

“It can be for fun and for learning, Baekhyun,” Chanyeol mused, a look in his eye that Baekhyun couldn't interpret because he wasn’t used to being looked at in that way. “I’ll be real quiet and let you read about dogs.” 

Baekhyun didn’t think he would be able to focus enough to read anymore. Not even when Chanyeol just started to do his math homework on the other side of the table.

He looked sheepishly through his glasses around Chanyeol and found as soon as he looked over the others shoulder that there were eyes watching them. 

It made his stomach churn and he had half a mind to get up and move tables. 

But that would be rude, and Chanyeol was nice… it wasn’t like they were doing anything worth people staring for.

Baekhyun felt his phone vibrate beside his book and startled a bit at it, too busy making himself anxious that the vibration scared him. 

All he read were the words **Park Chanyeol** on the notification bar and he glanced at Chanyeol only to see the other was just putting his phone down and looking across at him expectantly.

Baekhyun swallowed and opened the text with eyes drilling into him. 

**Park Chanyeol: You’re beautiful, Byun Baekhyun. Don’t worry about them.**

Some of the notes in his locker said as much, some of them had little flowers and cute things with the words _you_ scribbled next to them.

But knowing who it was. Knowing that he was being forced to acknowledge it was _indeed_ Park Chanyeol sending him sweet messages.

It made Baekhyun’s stomach churn and he couldn’t decide if it was anxiety or happiness, all he knew was it immediately made his cheeks red and his heart race.

 _“Okay?”_ Chanyeol asked under his breath, looking more serious, “They’ll stop if you ignore them.” 

Baekhyun could only bring himself to nod and chew on his lip seeing as he would probably stutter a bunch if he spoke up. 

“And Baekhyun?” 

He glanced at Chanyeol over his glasses because it seemed easier to not have to see him clearly. 

“You’re really beautiful.” 

Baekhyun dropped his eyes down to his books and tucked his hands against his stomach because he suddenly felt sick. 

Was Park Chanyeol _messing_ with him? 

He didn’t speak up until the bell rang for the next class period, but he threw out a _bye_ before he ran away just to be nice.

***

“I’ll be home really late, so make sure to lock the door.” 

Baekhyun sighed and leaned into the kiss his mom placed on his cheek, pulling his pajama bottoms over his toes. “Mom, I thought we were watching movies this weekend.” 

“I know, I know, bug, but you know we can’t really afford to say no when I’m called in,” She said apologetically, walking back and forth in the living room to collect her things. “You can always call a friend over, or maybe… like… call your dad to come get you for the weekend…” 

She was reaching and knew it if the way she smiled tensely said much.

Baekhyun just flopped against the arm of the couch with a loud sigh, rubbing beneath his glasses at his eye.

“Don’t be so sad, baby bug,” His mom cooed, brushing a hand over his hair as she walked by, “Just call one of your friends over.”

“Jongdae is annoying. Kyungsoo has a date. And Junmyeon is pestering me again.”

“About what?”

Baekhyun folded his legs beneath him and climbed to his knees to look over the back of the couch, chin resting on the cushions, “Do you remember Park Chanyeol?” 

_“Park?”_ She furrowed her brows in thought and began wrapping a scarf around her neck, “Hm.. is that the boy that pushed you down the stairs in middle school?”

 _“No!”_ Baekhyun cried, face turning pink when his mom sent him a raised brow at his yell. “No… he’s the one that helped me to the nurse…”

“Ah,” She murmured, “As long as he’s not one of those punks that keeps messing with my baby.” 

Baekhyun's shoulders pulled up to his ears. His mom didn’t really know as much as she _thought,_ but that’s how adults were, plus… he didn’t really tell her much, but when he got caught coming home crying it was hard to make excuses.

“It’s not so bad anymore,” Baekhyun muttered and plopped back into his spot, “Kyungsoo has gotten really scary.” 

“It’s the eyebrows on that kid, I swear.” 

Baekhyun laughed as he reached for the television remote.

“So what about Park Chanyeol? Junmyeon is pestering you about him, bug?”

Momentarily confused, Baekhyun thought before realizing he forgot what he was saying. “Oh, I… I guess… he’s been putting notes in my locker.. and Jun is mad I didn’t tell him.” 

_“Love notes?”_

The tease in her voice was obvious and made him pout. “No. Just nice notes.” 

“Aw, you're no fun, Baekhyun. I want to know the gossip too.” 

Baekhyun snorted and turned his head to flick through channels as he heard his mom packing her bag with snacks. Who knew when she’d be home, she worked at a clinic down the road and often spent days in her office. 

Baekhyun didn’t normally mind, because he knew they needed the money. 

“They aren’t love notes. Well… I mean… they were mostly drawings, but sometimes they said.. I-I was cute or something…” 

_“My baby is growing up!”_

Baekhyun groaned before he even had his mom reaching over the arm of the couch and squeezing his head, making him whine and have to hold his glasses still. “Mom!” 

“Oh, my handsome boy, is this Park Chanyeol cute too?” 

Baekhyun whined and complained until she released him with a bunch of kisses to his hair. She sat on the arm of the couch to pet his head and Baekhyun huffed. “It’s not like that.” 

“Sounds like it’s like that. I bet he has a crush on you.” 

“No, he’s just really nice.” 

His mom laughed and leaned down to press a much more civilized and calm kiss to his head, “We need to get you in for new glasses, sweet pea, maybe you're going blind. I bet if I gave Jongdae a call he would say he agrees with me, hm?”

Baekhyun pressed his lips out in a pout, “You're supposed to be on my side!” He complained, throwing a hand up to her shoulder, “Mom, you're an adult, you can’t call my friends like that.” 

In response she just cooed at him and pinched his cheek before getting up to grab her keys. “I can if you don’t talk to that boy. I can tell you think he’s cute because your ears turned red. Now I have to go, I love you.” 

_How unfair._ Baekhyun wanted to jump under his blankets and scream with irritation, because everyone was so annoying.

“Love you,” He said rather grumpily, rolling onto his side to grab his phone off the table. 

As soon as the front door shut and locked he was squealing a noise as he checked his phone and all the flooded texts.

Mostly it was his friends group chat and Jongdae trying to argue that Yixing was the worst cook out of all of them. Baekhyun didn’t know why that mattered right now, but he just sat in debate of whether to see if someone wanted to come over or pick him up.

His house was small though, and last time they tried to squeeze all of them here he’d woken up to Junmyeon yelling at Jongdae for putting his feet in his face.

Baekhyun could only squeal instead, sitting up to fix his glasses. But his eyes didn’t deceive him and there were a number of texts from Chanyeol on his phone. 

**Park Chanyeol: Sehun is arguing with me, is Iron Man better or Spider-Man**

**Park Chanyeol: !!! He said Iron Man is stupid !!! What is he on?!**

**Park Chanyeol: Help me please I think I’m losing it**

**Park Chanyeol: I’m sorry if I’m annoying you but this stupidity is unreal 😞**

Baekhyun was sure Chanyeol had a million other people he could message, so he found it odd that Chanyeol would text _him._

He felt a little bad about the previous text still sitting unreplied to though. It still made Baekhyun’s heart race, and he supposed he was pretty rude running away like that. 

He sucked in his lip and erased what he began typing about four times before settling.

**Byun Baekhyun: Hi... I think Iron Man is great**

**Park Chanyeol: !! Hi to you, Baekhyun! I agree, I think Sehun is dumb, but now I don’t care since you're backing me up 😊 what are you up to**

Baekhyun began to giggle and laid back into the cushions with his hair slightly blocking his glasses. 

**Byun Baekhyun: I’m having a movie night by myself, you?**

**Park Chanyeol: By yourself?! I was just about to watch a movie too! Tell me what you’re watching and we can watch at the same time and talk shit about the acting 😂 I heard Twilight was pretty bad!**

**Byun Baekhyun: Okay, let me put it on**

**Park Chanyeol: We have to do it at the same time! Or else I’m gonna spoil it with all my ranting, pretty!**

*******

The hallways were decorated a lot now. Streamers and posters littered the walls. 

Prom was coming up, the theme this year was Under The Sea, and admittedly the school looked pretty with the decorations, posters, and shells everywhere. 

But, Baekhyun hated this time of year. He didn’t like that couples blocked the hallways and he hated the over the top requests for dates. 

Last year someone decided they wanted to cover the entire row of lockers with a huge _will you go to prom with me_ sign, and it had made him nearly ten minutes late to class waiting for it to be removed.

“Baek!” 

Baekhyun turned his head to look down the hallways to his right only to whine when Junmyeon launched at him, shaking his shoulders. “Baek! Do you like the theme? I spent three weeks trying to choose! The committee wanted The Great Gatsby theme _again! Ew!_ It’s been done the past four times, ugh.” 

“It’s nice, Jun,” Baekhyun murmured softly and continued to his locker. 

“Why do you sound so tired, huh?” Junmyeon fussed, stalking behind the junior to his locker, “You have eye bags, didn’t I tell you to stop watching videos so late!”

“You’re not my mom,” Baekhyun pouted and shoved his hand out of the way to put his combo in his locker, “What’s your deal with scolding me! Jun, you can’t shadow me forever. You graduate this year.” 

“You’ll forever be the little kid that cried into my shoulder in second grade, Baekhyunnie.” 

Baekhyun paled and turned to smack Junmyeons arm which actually kind of hurt him more than it hurt his friend because of all the warm padding Junmyeon was wearing, “You said you wouldn’t bring that up!”

“Hey, it was cute, I’ve never seen someone cry over a stomach ache that hard. Also never seen a kid eat so many cookies in one sitting, you're my idol!”

“Ah, I hate you..” Baekhyun grumbled and shoved his things into his locker, bringing his backpack to hang in the crook of his arm to open it up. 

“Okay, I think this is my que to leave, Park is staring.” 

Baekhyun frowned in confusion and looked down to the end of the hallway and sure enough a group of guys were all huddled at the other end with the tallests eyes looking his way.

When they met eyes Baekhyun tucked his hair back and shyly waved. It only made Chanyeol’s grin spread across his face and Baekhyun promptly paled when the other started coming his way.

 _“Stupid..”_ Baekhyun whispered to himself and hoped his eye bags weren’t as bad as Junmyeon said, but even if they were it was _completely_ Chanyeol’s fault seeing as he’d been texting him until three in the morning. 

“Baekhyun, hey..” Chanyeol grinned and leaned against the locker beside him, “Did you have a good weekend?” 

_You would know, you were texting me the whole time._

“... yes..” Baekhyun mumbled and removed his glasses as an excuse to not have to look directly at him, his hands were shaky and ears red. 

_Why are you so handsome, Park Chanyeol?_ He internally whined.

“Oh good,” Chanyeol smiled and looked him over, “So I was thinking, did you see all of the signs in the parking lot?” 

“Oh, yeah…” Baekhyun mumbled, “I think someone is getting asked to prom today.” 

“It’s exciting, right?”

Baekhyun shook his head with a soft frown, eyes going big when Chanyeol reached over to take his glasses from him. “Here, let me clean them for you.” 

“Um, I don’t think it’s that exciting.” Baekhyun whispered, wiping his hands over his eyes as he waited for his glasses back, “It’s embarrassing really.” 

“How? You don’t think it’s cute?” 

If Baekhyun were able to see, then he would pick up the nervous frown on Chanyeol’s face immediately, but he couldn’t.

“I mean…” Baekhyun paused to hold his breath because even if he couldn’t see clearly, the outline of Chanyeol was suddenly really close.

“Sorry, let me just..” Chanyeol murmured before he touched Baekhyun’s chin to have him lift his head, sliding the black framed glasses to sit on his nose. He fiddled a moment longer fixing Baekhyun’s soft hair over the frame.

There was no way he missed how wide eyed and shaken Baekhyun got, but Chanyeol didn’t comment. He didn’t even step back either. He just looked at him with a smile. “You were saying?” 

Baekhyun swallowed the lump in his throat and curled his fingers into the edge of his hoodie to tug it down with butterflies flapping around in his stomach. “... it-it’s sweet.. b-but it makes me nervous..”

Chanyeol wiped the smile off his face to frown a small bit, “Why? Because you don’t want to get asked or…” 

“Because I-I…” Baekhyun pressed his lips together and turned to look away from him to pick his things out of his locker. “Because I don’t want to be made fun of, Chanyeol…” 

“Why would you be made fun of for that?” 

Baekhyun sighed, and for the first time in a while he was reminded that him and Chanyeol were two different kinds of people.

He yanked his extra coat from the locker and hung it on his arm before shutting it and glancing at Chanyeol with sad eyes. “I just breathe and get yelled at, Chanyeol.” 

The taller teen frowned and shook his head as Baekhyun started walking away. “Wait! Wait, I didn’t mean it like that.. I just.. why do you think someone would get mad if you were asked?”

Baekhyun walked along the wall with his head down to watch the slippery floor. The last he needed was to create a scene. “I would be, I know it. It’s not like I would get asked anyway...” 

“Baekhyun. Not everyone is out to get you. Some people would be so happy to go with-“

Stopping, Baekhyun couldn’t help the way his eyes filled with unshed tears. What the _hell_ did Chanyeol know about being picked on? Nothing. And he felt like his feelings were being overlooked. 

“What do you know about… about being called names..” Baekhyun mumbled tearfully, eyes sad as he looked up at Chanyeol. “Y-You're rich and popular and know nothing about it, Chanyeol. So… so why don’t you.. you just stop it..” 

“What?” Chanyeol bent down a bit with a confused look, “What are you talking about? And who is calling you names? Is it Yoon again? That fuck-“

“Chanyeol..” Baekhyun began to have tears down his cheeks now, “.. stop t-trying to be nice to me. Y… You’ll just regret it.” 

“Baekhyun..” Chanyeol whispered and reached over to touch his hair, “Hey, I didn’t mean it like that. I don’t mean to.. to make you cry. Oh god… it’s been a while since I’ve seen you cry. Please stop. Ah, when we were little I don’t remember my stomach hurting this badly when you cried.” 

Baekhyun sniffled and withheld making other noises, he turned his head away when Chanyeol tried to touch his cheek. “L-Leave me alone.” 

Chanyeol's jaw went slack, “Baek. I didn’t mean to make you upset. I’m sorry, okay? I won’t.. I won’t ask things like that anymore. I clearly don’t understand.” 

“No..” Baekhyun nodded and brought his sleeve up to wipe his nose. “You don’t understand, Chanyeol.” He agreed before spinning on his heels to rush down the hall.

***

Baekhyun was guilty for the next three days.

He shouldn’t have been so mean to Chanyeol, but when he’d told his friends Kyungsoo said he didn’t think Baekhyun was wrong.

It was true after all. Chanyeol had never gotten teased before, he’d never even had any bad thing said about him other than slipping grades or something basic of the sort. 

Baekhyun was just _tired_ of feeling so lost when at school. He was tired of being ridiculed and he was just _done._

He wished he could be more like Kyungsoo and Jongdae who caused scenes when they heard something they disliked, those two were seen as weird, but Baekhyun couldn’t help feeling people only thought that because they hung out with him.

Of course he only dragged people down with him. 

He sighed at the thought and pulled his legs closer from where he was sitting on the sidewalk waiting for his mom to pick him up.

Baekhyun waited after school for his mom to pick him up seeing as he would rather walk the hour home than sit on the bus just to be teased the entire ride. 

He killed time normally by doing his homework on the bleachers in the football field, but he couldn’t bring himself to walk all the way over there in this cold. Instead he just sat himself down in the nearly empty parking lot.

His mom was running late, and he knew he couldn’t complain when he could have chosen to walk home, but he was in a slump and didn’t feel like it.

_“Hey…”_

Baekhyun sniffled and looked up from his phone in his lap, nose red and cheeks blotchy. Chanyeol looked more nervous than normal to take a seat beside him. He was slightly sweaty and held his coat instead of wearing it, probably because the football players got out of practice at this time.

“Hi.” He whispered, rubbing his wind chapped nose and licking his lips nervously. 

“So…” Chanyeol began, leaning over his lap with a heavy breath and looking at Baekhyun, “Can I just say I’ve thought about what you said… and it wasn’t okay of me to question you like that. I mean.. it’s clear that I don’t understand, but I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

Baekhyun chewed on the inside of his cheek as he looked at him, eyes round and attentive, but dull. “I…I didn’t mean to be mean to you… I swear I just… I-I was overwhelmed. I don’t like to…” He sucked in a breath and brought his frozen hands up to pull his hood over his ears, “.. I don’t like to talk about it much, you know? I-I’m more than aware that I’m… well, I’m not _you.”_

If Chanyeol was offended or otherwise put off by his choice in words, he didn’t comment, but that was probably because Baekhyun’s voice was shaky. 

He instead turned back to his jacket on his lap and looked at Baekhyun's bright red fingers. 

“How long have you been sitting out here?” Chanyeol murmured, moving the coat in his lap over Baekhyun’s shoulders, “You're really small, you know that? You should be careful of getting too cold. Wear many layers, okay?” 

Baekhyun could only shoot his eyes to look at him and accept the coat because he was freezing, and when he shoved his arms through the sleeves he found that Chanyeol's sleeves went well past his fingertips.

But he couldn’t help noticing the off-colored bruise on Chanyeol’s arm and frowning as he turned to press a cold finger against it, “Did you get hurt?” 

Chanyeol sucked in a breath because his fingers were so cold, “No.. don’t worry about it.” He mumbled, turning his whole body towards Baekhyun to grab his hands and rub them between his own. “Ah, you’re an ice sickle, what are you thinking, Baekhyun? You're frozen.” 

Baekhyun giggled softly because Chanyeol looked really concerned over just a couple of frozen fingers. “I’m okay. It’s not that cold. I’m waiting for my mom to get me.” 

“You’re okay? It’s not that cold? God, did the cold get to your head!” Chanyeol cried playfully, moving one hand to pinch his cheek. 

Baekhyun squeaked and smacked a hand at his with a boxy laugh, “No!” He squirmed and dropped his face into his hands.

“You sure?” Chanyeol laughed and turned his head down to look at him, “You seem a little crazy to me!” He teased, poking Baekhyun’s side a handful of times and making the smaller squeak and giggle until his face was flushed. 

Chanyeol chuckled and scooted closer until his thigh was against Baekhyun’s.

“Yo-You're one to talk!” Baekhyun giggled and raised his head to look up at him, “You're not even wearing a jacket!”

“Hey, I’m overheated right now!” Chanyeol whined defensively, “And I just so happen to think giving it to a pretty boy is worth a bit of a chill.” 

Baekhyun began to laugh with crescent shaped eyes before he truly registered what he said. As soon as he processed, his laughter trailed off a bit and he took to pressing his jacket sleeve to his mouth.

“Too much?” Chanyeol mused and leaned back against his palms, “Ah, I’ve said too much. But I can’t help it. Did you know I’ve thought you were cute since second grade? I can remember… you wore this purple sweater to school one day, and I remember Jongin was like _Baekhyun looks happier than normal, huh?_ And I thought… _Yeah, Baek does look happier today.”_

Baekhyun didn’t know what to say. He licked his lips and tucked his sleeve over his face as he looked at his knee pressing to Chanyeol’s.

He’d been convincing himself for a good month that Chanyeol was doing this for a prank. Some sort of joke or something.

But.. what was there to _gain_ being friends with him? 

Chanyeol already had friends, it wasn’t like Baekhyun could buy him things, and Chanyeol wasn’t a stupid jock that would convince him to do his work or something. There really was nothing for Chanyeol to gain from being seen with him. 

“Did I go too far again-“

Chanyeol froze for a second when Baekhyun twisted to hug his arm to his chest, cold cheek pressing against his skin.

Chanyeol _was_ really warm.

“.. oh,” The taller teen whispered before he laid a large hand on the back of Baekhyun’s head, “What’s wrong-“

“ ‘m actually really cold..” Baekhyun muffled into his arm, hiding his face against his bicep.

Chanyeol bit his lip and brushed his hand over Baekhyun’s red, cold ear before clearing his throat, “Do you want a ride home, Baek?” 

“... yeah… okay. Thank you, Chanyeol.” 

The taller beamed, yet neither of them moved an inch, “Anytime, Baekhyun.” 

***

Something was odd today, and it wasn’t the fact that Baekhyun was waddling in Chanyeol's jacket layered on top of his own hoodie.

Well, _that_ was also odd, but nobody had to know whose coat it was but him.

Honestly Baekhyun had worn it today planning to give it back, but when he put it on he found it was _really_ warm, so Chanyeol probably wouldn’t miss it for a bit longer. 

_“Park Chanyeol got in a fight yesterday.”_

_“I heard Yoon said too much.”_

_“No, I heard that he mentioned Byun!”_

_“Why would he mention Byun? Are they together or something… I heard some rumors..”_

_“No, seriously, that’s why Yoon is missing today. I heard Chanyeol got him really good after practice.”_

Baekhyun shifted uncomfortably and felt eyes staring into his back. It was way too early for these rumors to be flying around.

But… as he saw a note lying on his books in his locker he didn’t feel all that _nervous_ even though his name was being thrown around.

He was curious about all this talk about Chanyeol though, and the note didn’t give away anything. The only thing that it said was a very sweet **_Good morning, I brought a muffin for you, so come see me when you get here!_**

Baekhyun didn’t normally go out of his way to find Chanyeol, but it was well known that the teenager hung out on the back steps outside of the hallway in the morning.

He swung his bag high on his shoulder before shutting his locker and ducking his head as he made his way towards the back steps. 

People kept whispering all around him, mumbling about some _fight_ Chanyeol had been in yesterday. It reminded Baekhyun of the bruise on his arm, but it had been pretty cloudy so he didn’t get a good look at much more of Chanyeol.

“-no man, like completely bawling!” 

“No way, Yoon? For real?”

 _“Baekhyun, hey!”_ Jongin exclaimed, facing towards the backdoor as the smaller teenager shuffled out nervously. “Baek, good morning.” 

Baekhyun pressed his lips together and looked shyly through his glasses at the large group, “Um.. can.. I talk to Chanyeol?” 

Some of the boys began to hoot and whistle and Baekhyun had no idea what that was supposed to mean, all he knew was that Chanyeol had a _huge_ grin on his face as he walked over. 

“Hey, Baek.” 

_“Hi…”_ Baekhyun licked his lips and pointedly looked away to point a finger towards a tree a ways away, “Can we talk?” 

Chanyeol laughed and grabbed his wrist gently, tugging him down the steps, “Sure. Did you see my note? I brought you breakfast too.” 

Baekhyun nodded and curled his fingers into his backpack strap, eyes on the frosty ground.

“Also, did you happen to-“

“Did you get in a fight for me?” Baekhyun interrupted with furrowed brows, swallowing thickly and crossing his arms over his chest when Chanyeol came to a stop. “I mean - I’ve been hearing it… and you have that bruise and…” 

Chanyeol twisted his lips, kneeling down to set his backpack down and digging inside, “Well…” He clicked his tongue, “It wasn’t really a fight.” 

Baekhyun felt his pulse pick up… because Chanyeol didn’t deny that it was for him. He only acknowledged part of his statement.

_Did that mean…_

“Well, I just..” Chanyeol laughed and shook his head, “People should keep their mouths shut if they know what’s best for them.” 

“What did he say..” 

“Here,” Chanyeol ignored his question and it was obvious he wasn’t intending to answer it as he stood up and held a paper bag at Baekhyun. “You took longer than I expected, it’s not warm anymore…” 

“Chanyeol,” Baekhyun sighed and grabbed the muffin bag, clenching it in his fist. “What did he say about me?” 

“You don’t want to kn-“

 _“I do!”_ Baekhyun yipped before his face felt heated up and angry tears sat in his eyes as he sucked in a deep breath. “.. I wanna know.”

“Hey… it was just a stupid comment,” Chanyeol hushed him and grabbed his cheek, “It.. it was just a comment on.. you know, just saying stupid shit. He said something about you being… well, _easy,_ and I punched him in the nose. That’s _it._ That’s all. Baek, don’t be upset please.” 

Baekhyun sucked in a shuddering breath, and leaned into his hand. He felt his hands shaking and knew he was acting irrationally, but he was so _tired_ of this.

 _Easy?_ Him? Byun Baekhyun who has never had a relationship in his life, and had never even kissed anyone.

Hell, he knew Chanyeol had relationships in the past, he clearly remembered once in middle school where the other had been sitting with a girl on the soccer field and he’d seen them kiss.

Even if Chanyeol was single again days later, for some reason Baekhyun remembered that clearly.

Almost like it _hurt_ to think about.

“Y-You have a bruise.” Baekhyun whispered, grabbing Chanyeol’s sleeve over his bicep, “So.. so don’t lie to me.” 

Chanyeol just laughed and shook his head, “Okay, so maybe it was more of a fight than I let on, but I swear he’s much worse and you don’t need to worry about stupid rumors being spread, okay?”

Baekhyun didn’t reply for a minute, just crinkling the bag in his hand and clutching Chanyeol’s sleeve.

“Okay?” Chanyeol prompted, leaning down to his face, “There’s no reason to cry, Baek. I took care of it.” 

“... _for me?”_

Chanyeol looked taken back by the wet, puppy eyes looking at him, but nodded quickly, “Of course. For you, Baekhyun-“

Baekhyun threw himself at him to hug his waist, digging his cheek into Chanyeol’s coat and sniffling softly.

“Oh, _okay, okay.”_ Chanyeol soothed, petting his hair, “I’ll do it again, anytime you want, pretty.” 

“Y-You don't m-mind?” 

“No.” The taller smiled and wrapped arms around his shoulders, “I never mind, Baekhyun.” 

***

Baekhyun had his backpack pulled up to his chin, eyes blown wide as he sat on the cold bleachers with his notes spread out in front of him. This never happened though. The football players shouldn’t be out to practice yet.

Today Baekhyun was waiting for his mom at the bleachers, but it just so happened that the football players were out here early.

He tried not to stare too hard, but by the time Kyungsoo had ditched him to go run off with Jongin, he just ended up staring at Chanyeol.

Apparently he’d gotten caught, because after flashing him a million grins across the field, the taller boy was finally coming over.

Honestly, yesterday when he’d launched at Chanyeol for a hug, he’d never expected Chanyeol to actually take interest in him.

But… now that he’d spent over a month denying it… Baekhyun had no more excuses. 

Even less when Chanyeol was coming towards the bleachers without a second thought when the team took a break. 

“So,” Chanyeol mused, sweat rolling down his temple as he leaned on the railing of the bleachers, “Baek, are you going to prom? Have you thought about it since last we spoke?” 

A laugh came from behind Chanyeol and Baekhyun felt his cheeks turn pink, he ducked his head into his backpack and felt humiliated despite the fact he and Chanyeol had been talking very much lately.

He still wasn’t used to it though.

“You think something is funny here?” Chanyeol spun around to yell at one of his teammates. _“Huh?”_

“Just that you’re asking such an obvious question. Nobody is taking him - I mean look at him, man. Fucking nerd.” The other commented, motioning vaguely in Baekhyun’s direction.

Baekhyun swallowed and tucked his hands between his knees, easily reminded why he didn’t try to approach Chanyeol in front of others often. But Chanyeol never seemed to have qualms about approaching _him._

Chanyeol stiffened and turned to throw the football in his hands as hard as he could directly past the teen, nearly missing his head. 

_“What the fuck! Park Chanyeol!”_

“You say that shit again I won’t fucking miss.” He sneered, climbing under the railing to the bleachers.

Baekhyun could feel the heat coming off of the football player, it was the first time he seemed so mad around him, but the bruise coloring Chanyeol's arm was a reminder to keep calm, that Chanyeol wouldn’t let anyone mess with him. 

Baekhyun knew he should feel guilty that Chanyeol had to stick up for him, but honestly he was just too happy that Chanyeol _wanted_ to in the first place.

He fumbled with the string on his bag, chewing his lip and looking through his glasses with wide eyes at the others sweat covered, angry set jaw. Baekhyun gulped and reached for his water bottle with shaking hands. “I-I... h-here... thank you...you don’t.. don’t have to...” 

Chanyeol looked slightly taken back by his stumbling. He accepted the bottle with little to no resistance though. “Thanks.” 

Baekhyun nodded and brought his hand up to straighten his glasses with Chanyeol’s eyes into his temple. “It... it’s no big deal. But you shouldn’t... talk with me in front of them... or-“

“Or what?” Chanyeol snorted and leaned against his knees with spread legs. “Or I’ll get too smart? Hm? Will you rub off on me? Trust me. I need that. Those fuckers do too.” 

Baekhyun began to giggle. He didn’t expect that response. “N-No... I mean-“

“Do you have a date, Baekhyun?” Chanyeol asked, voice surprisingly soft as he stared at him. “Because I’m having a hard time getting your attention. I’ve never had that happen before. You used to follow me around like a duckling, but now you’re really scared to be around me. You hate me?” 

“No!” Baekhyun burst with a blush, “No! That’s not! I mean... no I don’t hate you, Chanyeol... it’s just... I’m not... like your...type of friends.. and I don’t want you to be made fun of for being so nice to me recently.”

“That’s okay.” Chanyeol said, “I’m looking for a boyfriend, not a friend, Baekhyun.”

“Oh...” Baekhyun hid behind his hair with his face magenta. 

“You can say no, Baekhyun. It’s okay-“

“I’m not saying no.” Baekhyun mumbled, clutching his bag, “I’m... I’m worried that maybe you’ll look bad..”

Chanyeol had his thigh pressed against his in an instant, curling an arm around Baekhyun’s back so his palm rubbed against the other's side. “Don’t think about that. Just think about whether or not you want to... be with me. I think I’ve made it pretty clear I don’t care about anyone’s opinions.” 

“... okay... I’ll think..”

“Good.” Chanyeol smiled at his profile, “Think for as long as you want, baby. I’ll wait.”

Baekhyun felt like he was going to combust, and he really, really didn’t want to hear Kyungsoo's _I told you so_ when he called to scream about this later tonight.

***

“You said _what!”_

Baekhyun whined and rubbed his head when a smack was delivered to it, “Ow.” 

“You little _idiot!”_ Jongdae continued yelling at him. Baekhyun would prefer if he’d keep his voice down because they were in the middle of the parking lot, but of course the words _quiet_ and _Jongdae_ never went together. 

“For someone with a 4.0 GPA, you're pretty dull, Baek.” Kyungsoo drawled, sitting on the trunk of Junmyeon's car and laughing, “I mean come on… you’ve been after Chanyeol since first grade, and he asks you out and you don’t immediately say yes? Dumbass.” 

“Hey!” Baekhyun pouted and crossed his arms over his waist. 

“Okay leave him alone, you know how Baek turns into a blushing mess when he sees Chanyeol-“

_“Hey!”_

“- so it’s not his fault really.” Yixing concluded, shrugging, “But seriously, you have to say yes, Baek.” 

Baekhyun whined and leaned down to hide his nose in his coat, “So mean…” 

“Ease up!” Junmyeon ordered loudly, slamming his car door and walking around to throw an arm around Baekhyun’s shoulders.

Baekhyun thought he was being nice and humphed as he turned to hide in Junmyeons coat. 

That lasted about a minute. 

“You guys don’t need to yell at him!” Junmyeon continued, “Because Baek is going over there right now to say yes, isn’t that right, sunshine?” 

Baekhyun flopped back with a scowl and a loud huff, _“So mean! What if I want to say no!”_

Instantly all of his friends started laughing and Baekhyun supposed he deserved that one because he _certainly_ wasn’t going to say no.

It was true that he’d had a crush on Chanyeol ever since they were kids. He wasn’t even sure if it was because of the time where Chanyeol took the blame for his missing glasses or if it was one of the other _million_ times where Chanyeol had shown him kindness.

Baekhyun just pretended they existed on opposite sides of the earth, because it seemed so much easier that way.

Until recently at least. 

Baekhyun flailed when Junmyeon pushed him off in the direction of the shining, silver car across the parking lot, Chanyeol was laughing with Sehun but otherwise just hanging out.

 _Why did teenagers hang out in the parking lot after school so much anyway?_ Baekhyun grumbled under his breath and wrung his hands together.

“Do it or I’ll go do it and trust me, it won’t be discreet!” Jongdae ordered loudly.

Baekhyun picked up the pace then, because he could only imagine what the other would say.

Maybe Baekhyun wants to make out with you… Baekhyun told us he thought you were hot… _Baekhyun wants your -_

Baekhyun pinched himself and shook his head at his own stupidity. 

“Hey,” Baekhyun whispered sheepishly, cheeks pink from the cold (and also likely his own thoughts) as he walked around cars to get to Chanyeol’s. “Um… do you-“

“I know when I’m not needed.” Sehun began to laugh, strolling around Baekhyun with a pat on his shoulder, “Just tell me to leave, it’s cool, Baek.” 

“Oh no I…” Baekhyun sucked in his lip and sighed when Sehun just sent him a wide grin. Well, it seemed they weren’t discreet at all, but Chanyeol hadn’t exactly been shy about anything recently.

Chanyeol just grinned, the tips of his ears red and looked cold, but he just turned to open his car door and motioned to the other side, “Wanna talk?”

A single nod was all Baekhyun could manage. He felt ridiculous making a big deal about just hopping into the car with Chanyeol.

But, he couldn’t exactly stop his shakiness.

Baekhyun climbed into the passenger seat, tucking his hands under his thighs to warm them up and looking around a bit.

It was a very nice car, but he hadn’t expected any differently.

“So…” Chanyeol cleared his throat and leaned on the middle console, “I didn’t expect you to come talk to me so soon.” 

“Uh…” Baekhyun shuffled, cringing at the sound of his windbreaker loudly rubbing against the leather seat as he twisted to look at him properly. “I.. I decided to talk early.” 

“Okay, then let’s talk, Baek.” Chanyeol laughed quietly.

Baekhyun smiled sheepishly and looked down at his lap, “... I was thinking… and.. maybe I want to go.. w-with you.. but.. I don’t.. don't know how to dance or.. or if my mom can give me mone-“

“Meet me on the football field after school Monday.” 

Baekhyun jolted at the hand touching his fingers and shot up, “Huh?”

“So I can take you to mine and we can look at outfits online, Baek.” Chanyeol gave him a lopsided grin, excitement all over his face as he curled a hand around Baekhyun’s fingers. “Is that okay? Don’t worry about anything, I’ll pay for it.” 

“I…” 

Chanyeol looked genuinely happy to say these things, to look at him, he was all smiles and a bit of a disbelieving look in his eye. “All you have to do is choose what you like and show up, okay? I’ll make sure you have a nice time at prom. I mean… I know it’s a bit short notice when it’s so soon, but I tried to ask you with the-“

Baekhyun frowned when he cut himself off, glancing up at him, “What?” 

“I…” Chanyeol sighed and slumped against his seat, bringing Baekhyun’s hand with his onto the middle console, “The banner in the parking lot a month ago… I-I thought it would be nice, but you said it was embarrassing and-“

“I d-didn’t know it was for me!” Baekhyun squeaked, stunning and bringing his other hand to cover his face, “I-I was so mean, I’m sorry… I’m sorry, it’s just…”

“You don’t have to explain yourself.” Chanyeol laughed and shook his head, “It’s okay. I’m just glad to have you say yes to me, even if we only have a week or so to get ready for it.” 

Baekhyun looked through his hair bashfully, “... Really?”

Instead of replying right away Chanyeol looked at him and squeezed his hand, the taller licked his lips and gave a nod before leaning over the console to press a kiss to Baekhyun’s temple, just above the black frame of his glasses. “Really, baby.” 

***

It was snowing out the next morning. Baekhyun hadn’t expected it to change seasons so fast, so when he’d walked to school today he hadn’t been prepared.

When he got to school that morning Chanyeol ended up bundling him head to toe in the middle of the hallway, making it hard to move, but Baekhyun was comforted by the way the others clothes fell to his knees and how he had to waddle in the big marshmallow looking coat.

Chanyeol was just _so_ nice, and Baekhyun didn’t know what to do with himself when the other kissed his cheek and fussed over him that morning.

Baekhyun didn’t know what they were, he knew Chanyeol looked really happy to see him and that he’d texted him all weekend, but Baekhyun wasn’t sure what to call them.

Still, he listened to Chanyeol’s request that he wait for him after school, and that’s where Baekhyun was going now - he was waddling his way through frozen grass to the side of the football field, hearing the football coach yell orders to the team. 

The ground was too slick, and the grass crunched under his feet, so Baekhyun probably should have expected this, but he didn’t, so when his legs slipped out from under him and the warm coffee he’d been bringing to Chanyeol went flying off along with his glasses - well, he screamed pretty loud. 

And then immediately felt embarrassed. 

He felt tears well up instantly when he heard a fit of laughter. 

Why did he have to fall right in front of a bunch of football players and cheerleaders? Life hated him. That was for sure.

Baekhyun scrambled to feel around for his glasses, but everything was slightly blurred and the laughter in his ears made his breath race. Everything sounded like it was underwater because he could only hear the pounding of his own heart in his ears. 

_Look at him! Ah, pathetic!_

_Tell me again why that thing comes to the field? It’s for athletes!_

_I still think Park Chanyeol must be out of his mind! Really? This loser is his choice?_

“... shut up...” Baekhyun whispered, tears rolling down his cheeks... “Shut up. Please-“

“Hey!” 

Baekhyun looked up blindly at the sharp yell and only saw a blur of a red coat before someone knelt downwith an angry noise. “You fuckers need to be knocked down a notch! The poor junior is shaking!”

“Here, I think these are yours, Byun.” The voice said before Baekhyun had a rough outline of glasses being held in front of him.

Shaking, Baekhyun accepted with a teary face.

He placed them on and felt his knees freezing from kneeling on the grass, but he couldn’t help his surprise when he was met with Kim Minseok - a senior baseball player - “Oh, oh-“

“Don’t even worry about it.” The elder waved it off, looking at something over Baekhyun’s head. “Just keep out of trouble, Byun. Okay? Chanyeol looks like he’s going to deliver an uppercut to his coach - oh... he’s coming over,” He laughed and grabbed Baekhyun’s forearm to pull him up, “Next time I see you, let’s hope it’s better, hm? Stay out of trouble, kid. My stepbrother has a bad temper when it comes to you.” 

Baekhyun could only open and close his mouth in shock, he didn’t even know Chanyeol and Minseok were step brothers. He didn’t know much about Minseok really.

“Baek! Baek! Hey- did he say something to you?” 

“No..I mean.. what-“ A kiss to his forehead cut him off and Chanyeol began to fuss and pet his freezing cheeks despite the football player being red faced himself. “Ah, you’re like a popsicle. Let’s leave-“

“But.. but your practice!” Baekhyun cried as he was grabbed under the arm and walked off the field. 

“Fuck that.”

Chanyeol waved it off and started taking him to the locker rooms. 

Baekhyun was uncomfortable being in there, because the gym was never a good experience for him. “Um... Yeol, is it even okay? You’re not supposed to-“

“The team needs me more than I need them. They’ll come begging for me to come back tomorrow. Fuck them. They said I couldn’t help when you were right there. I don’t give a fuck about practice. I give a fuck about you, okay?” 

Baekhyun blushed and looked at the others back with fingers fiddling with his sleeves. “... o-okay...” 

Chanyeol spun around with a small smile as he grabbed his backpack out of the locker and came to take his cold fingers, “Now let’s get you something warm. Wanna go to dinner?”

“Oh.. I-I don’t know-“

“We’re going to pick up dinner, baby,” Chanyeol laughed and threw an arm around him, pressing a kiss on his blotchy red cheek, “I saw you lose your drink, the least I can do is replace it. We can call your mom in the car.” 

Baekhyun was hungry, and he was embarrassed and... his feelings were hurt, but a small part of him wanted the satisfaction of going out with Chanyeol now just to rub it into those others faces. 

He didn’t know why Chanyeol liked him, but Baekhyun wasn’t one to question miracles.

“Chanyeol?”

“Baby?”

Baekhyun giggled sheepishly into his coat, “... I didn’t know Minseok was your brother.” 

“Don’t talk to him, sweetheart.”

Baekhyun frowned, “Why? He was nice to me.” 

“Nice?” Chanyeol’s brows rose up high before he laughed and smiled at him brightly, “I guess you are just too cute to be mean to, hm?”

Bright red, Baekhyun shook his head, “No- I mean.. you’re biased!” 

Chanyeol cackled loudly and turned to nose into his temple and kiss his head, “Definitely, angel. Now let’s get you fed and warmed up. You can tell me who to beat up in the car.” 

“Chanyeol!” Baekhyun complained and hid in Chanyeol’s arm, “Don’t beat up anyone!”

“Okay. I’ll have Minseok do it if you claim he likes you so much.” 

Baekhyun whined and yanked him until Chanyeol came to a stop just outside the parking lot to hug him and accept muffled complaints into his jacket. 

“Hey. I was really worried about you.” Chanyeol whispered and cupped the back of his head, “I need you to stay out of trouble, or I might lose my mind, okay? My heart can only take so much.” 

Baekhyun sat in debate for a few seconds before pressing his lips together and standing on his toes to look him in the eyes. “I’ll stay out of trouble, Chanyeol.” He whispered and leaned his cheek into the others. 

“And agree to tell me who was mean to you.” Chanyeol ordered.

Baekhyun just began to laugh as Chanyeol whined his demand, pulling back to smile and shake his head, “Come on, I’m starving.” 

_“Hey you little! I need a list and I need it now Byun Baekhyun! Stop laughing and make me a list, punk!”_

***

Chanyeol's house was really nice. Baekhyun hadn’t expected any differently, but it was very big and had high ceilings. 

He had immediately been led upstairs to Chanyeol’s room and their food passed his way, but Baekhyun wanted to ogle the house some more.

It was okay though, because Chanyeol’s room was just as nice with it's deep blue walls and dark wood floors, a big difference compared to the stained carpet at his house because he’d lived there all his life and Baekhyun as a toddler was a menace.

“I’m thinking purple,” Chanyeol spun around in his desk chair to start scooting over with his laptop on his lap.

It made Baekhyun giggle, sitting criss cross on Chanyeol’s bed and picking at his box of noodles, “Okay.” 

“Oh… but no this one is so nice too…” Chanyeol tsked to himself and placed his laptop down to show Baekhyun, “Ah, I think blue would look beautiful on you.” 

Flushing, Baekhyun stuffed noodles in his mouth so he didn’t have to reply, but Chanyeol was too patient for his own good and Baekhyun could just feel him waiting for a response. 

Baekhyun’s eyes grew wide at the amount of things Chanyeol had in his shopping cart, shaking his head and reaching over, “No… no, no-“

“Yah!” Chanyeol chided and leaned down to view the screen, “What are you doing! Don’t delete them!”

“It’s expensive!” Baekhyun pointed out, eyes huge, “So much money… we- I don’t need all that…”

Chanyeol sighed and shooed his hand away before he deleted the entire cart, “Okay, blue or purple.” 

“... blue.” 

“Do you want black dress shoes?”

“I…” Baekhyun was going to argue that he didn’t need them, but they both knew it would be a lie. His beat up converse were sitting by the front door next to rows of new name brand shoes, the contrast was shocking. “... _yes.”_

Chanyeol smiled brighter at his easy acceptance. “Okay, I’ll order things then, I’m keeping this away from you!” He cried, shutting the computer and sticking his tongue out at Baekhyun.

Baekhyun giggled and pulled his legs closer to make room and moved his partially eaten food to the side table. 

“I hope you’re planning to eat all that,” Chanyeol scolded and climbed onto the bed, wrapping fingers around Baekhyun’s wrist, “Look at this! So tiny, unacceptable!”

“.. ‘m just small…” Baekhyun complained with an amused grin, reaching over to poke a finger into Chanyeol’s shoulder with a titter, “Not everyone can be this… like _this..”_

“Hm… what does _like this_ mean…” Chanyeol mused with a teasing smirk, “You must think I’m hot. Hm?” 

Baekhyun instantly began to stutter and stumble, flailing a hand and accidentally hitting his soda on the side table, jerking to hurry and catch it.

“Oh, shit.” 

Baekhyun whined and closed his eyes because he felt like he was going to have a heart attack within those two seconds of nearly spilling his drink and potentially making a mess of Chanyeol’s room.

“That's cute,” A large hand grabbed the drink from him and only then did Baekhyun suck in a breath and open his eyes, scolding himself for being an idiot.

Chanyeol was right in front of him then, chuckling and moving the drink to the other side of the side table. “I make you that nervous, huh? I’ll take it as a compliment.” 

Baekhyun sighed in relief seeing as Chanyeol didn’t seem upset. Not even a little. 

“Can I ask you something?” Chanyeol added, much more seriously, but still leaning into his space.

“... okay.” 

“Do you have a crush on me? Or…” Chanyeol licked his lips and laid down on his bed on his back, “Or at least like me… or am I just like… wasting my tim-“

 _“No.. I-I..”_ Baekhyun tucked his chin onto his knee and curled up with fingers touching his glasses as an excuse not to look at him, “I do… I do…I’m just.. _worried?”_

“Worried?” Chanyeol frowned and turned to look at Baekhyun, “Why?” 

Baekhyun fiddled with his glasses before wrapping arms around his legs and snuggling his cheek against his knee, finally looking at Chanyeol. “You.. you’re _you…”_

 _And I’m me_ was left unsaid but it was implied, and the way Chanyeol sat up to lean against the headboard with a frown said a lot. 

“Baekhyun, what’s it like?” 

Baekhyun didn’t need to ask what he was talking about, he just swallowed and shifted to lean a bit against Chanyeol's side, fingers playing with the edge of his frayed jeans. 

“I’m trying to understand,” Chanyeol murmured, “Because I’m not going to lie to you and say that I _do._ I’m not going to try to relate to you, because I can’t, Baek. You’re right, I don’t know what it’s like… but I _want_ to know that way I.. I don’t know, I want to know how you feel all the time at school. I can tell that when you’re here you seem so much less anxious, and you want to speak more… you seem more alive.” 

Baekhyun didn’t realize when his hands had begun to start shaking, but they were when he leaned his head on Chanyeol’s shoulder, dropping his hands into the others sleeve, “It…” He couldn’t even find words to say it and laughed wetly because he honestly never thought of these things before, “.. feels like.. like drowning..” 

Chanyeol didn’t like his reply nor his tears, and threw an arm around him to pull Baekhyun into his lap, rubbing his back. “Well I hope you can breathe when you’re with me.” 

“I-I can.” 

“Good, baby.” Chanyeol mumbled softly and pet his hair.

Baekhyun looked up right at the exact moment Chanyeol was leaning down to kiss his head and they both froze, staring. 

Watery eyes looked at Chanyeol’s plump lips and Baekhyun chewed his own between his teeth.

 _“Baekhyun.. “_ Chanyeol murmured, bringing a large palm to his cheek and brushing his hair back, “Can I-“

Baekhyun’s phone began to ring loudly and the smaller of the two sighed and blushed with eyes still on Chanyeol’s mouth. “I.. it’s my mom.” 

“You should get it then.” 

Baekhyun didn’t move for a second, not until Chanyeol touched his chin below his lip and grinned, “Maybe next time.”

Baekhyun promptly squeaked and flushed head to toe as he jumped back to search for his phone, his mind replaying those words… _maybe next time.._

***

Baekhyun was shaking so hard by the time prom came. He’d been debating on calling Chanyeol to cancel just about four times that morning. 

But at the thought of how sad he would be if Baekhyun did, and the thought of how expensive it must have been… Baekhyun changed his mind. 

It helped that when Chanyeol pulled up he had a handsome grin and came to the door to meet his mom and everything. 

Chanyeol had wanted Baekhyun to come to his house, and Baekhyun’s mom offered to take him, but that was… too scary right now, so Baekhyun agreed to go afterwards and instead meet Chanyeol’s mom the following morning which scared him _even more._

“You don’t need to be nervous.” Chanyeol smiled and tugged Baekhyun’s fingers as they stood outside of the gymnasium. The music inside was loud, blaring, and Baekhyun was shaking like a leaf even with a thick coat over his shoulders.

“There... are a lot of people...” Baekhyun mumbled, looking down at their hands touching and his new, shining shoes. 

“Hey.” Chanyeol worried and cupped his face, smoothing his hair around his glasses. “There’s nothing to worry about. You look beautiful, Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun had tried so hard with his outfit even though he wasn’t used to these clothes. 

It was prom after all and when he was picked up he’d been worried Chanyeol would decide not to go with him when he saw how he looked. Of course that didn’t happen and instead he was gifted with a white corsage to match his light blue satin button down. 

Chanyeol had good taste in clothes even if he’d gotten his top a bit big so it hung down his chest more than he was used to. 

“Why are you shaking? Hey...” Chanyeol fussed and brought him into a hug, letting Baekhyun hide in his blazer. “Sh you don’t need to be scared. Unless.... you’re scared to be with me, then I can go-“

Baekhyun actually laughed, the idea was outrageous. “You should be scared to be seen with me, Chanyeol.”

The football player chuckled and pulled his shoulders back to look at him, “When have I ever given you the impression I care about shit like that, Baekhyun? I just...” He sighed and Chanyeol looked embarrassed as he licked his lips and laughed, “Look. I don’t care about prom. I cared about spending time with you. We don’t even have to be here if you don’t want to.”

“But...” Baekhyun frowned and pulled his sleeves past his palms nervously, “You spent so much and... I-I’m just a baby.. don’t- let’s just go in-“ He spun to try and go into the gym but Chanyeol caught his hand.

“Baby, you’re shaking,” Chanyeol sighed and held his hand tightly, “We aren’t going in when you look like you’ll pass out any moment. As soon as we get in there you’ll have a panic attack, I can see it, Baek.” 

Baekhyun couldn’t only chew his lip because he too could feel his heart racing just at the thought of being smushed in the crowds of students, or hearing them gasp in outrage he was with Chanyeol, or make fun of him. 

You may think he would get used to being teased. But that was never the case. 

“I have an idea!” Chanyeol said, pulling him towards the parking lot.

Baekhyun struggled, complaining, “Chan you spent so much! We can’t just leave! Chanyeol!” 

Chanyeol ignored him whining and approached his car, one they’d only just gotten out of moments ago, already late for prom because Baekhyun had fussed too long about Chanyeol wanting to buy them dinner first. 

“Chanyeol...” Baekhyun curled arms around himself and ducked his head, “Just leave me here, go have fun. It’s okay... I’ll... I’ll call my mom to get me. And then.. then we can just forget all this..” 

There was no response for a moment and fear settled in Baekhyun’s stomach that maybe his fears had been right, and Chanyeol played him. 

That was until soft music began to play from a phone and he startled when an arm wrapped around his side. 

“Baekhyun. Will you dance with me?” 

“H-Here?” Baekhyun gawked, knees feeling weak as Chanyeol pulled him into his chest, unknowing what to do with his hands.

“Where else?” Chanyeol whispered into his hair, moving Baekhyun’s hands to his shoulders and pressing them together, “I don’t mind. I’d rather you be comfortable here than uncomfortable in there.” 

“But... but..” Baekhyun struggled with words and pressed his head into Chanyeol’s collarbone, “But it’s a parking lot.” He argued weakly.

“Then close your eyes and pretend it’s not, silly.” Chanyeol chuckled and began to sway them side to side. “Pretend there’s bright lights and many, many people bumping into us - just like if we were in there.” 

Baekhyun giggled into his neck, “I... guess..” He said softly.

Chanyeol grinned and squeezed his waist, “I swear. We aren’t missing a thing, baby. Don’t worry.” 

“If you say so, Chanyeol... it.. it was your idea after all..” 

“I have another idea.” Chanyeol spoke up suddenly, nervously pulling him back and laughing with a gentle blush painting his face, “We’re missing one thing.” 

“Oh?” Baekhyun frowned and looked at himself and Chanyeol, “But we have the clothes and the music and-“

_“Fuck, you’re so cute.”_

Baekhyun squeaked a noise of surprise when his cheek was grabbed and darted eyes around anxiously, “No... no, I ramble when nervous.” 

Chanyeol just burst into laughter and pet his cheek with his thumb. “So cute. So cute, baby. Don’t even argue with me on this.” 

Baekhyun felt his ears turn red and laughed shy noises until Chanyeol cleared his throat. “We’re missing the part where we kiss, I mean... if you want to... just if you want... we can keep dancing instead, or we can like... go to the drive in or something. I really don’t care, Baekhyun... I just want to spend time with you.” 

Flabbergasted, Baekhyun stumbled and shook his head, “No! I mean, I’ve never - I don’t want to be bad - I just... Chanyeol, I’ll be so bad, don’t even - I mean, not that I don’t want to but...” He cringed and sighed, “I’ve never kissed anyone.” 

In an instant Chanyeol was beaming, “That’s fine. I can teach you. If you want.”

Baekhyun had no idea why Chanyeol would want to, but then again... he didn’t know why Chanyeol would ask him to prom or be so nice to him, and Park Chanyeol had been only nice to him... for as long as he could remember.

“Okay, Chanyeol.” 

“You want to? Really?” 

“I want to.” Baekhyun murmured, dropping eyes down to Chanyeol’s mouth, “Only if you want to.” 

“You don’t need to even ask that,” Chanyeol laughed and held his chin, leaning in. “I want to so fucking bad, Baekhyun.”

***

“Are you comfy?” 

Baekhyun moaned a reply and rubbed his belly, it was stuffed full and when Chanyeol said he would be staying with him tonight he hadn’t exactly thought he meant _to stay up and watch movies._

It was prom night after all and Baekhyun wasn’t _stupid,_ he knew what couples did on prom night.

But, he and Chanyeol didn’t do _any_ of that - other than some silly kisses that Baekhyun was sure were horrible.

Chanyeol laughed and hopped onto his bed beside Baekhyun, the laptop playing movies jostled on the pillows and Baekhyun squeaked when Chanyeol rolled over to hover over him. 

Baekhyun was pressing his lips together shyly seeing as he had nowhere to look but at Chanyeol. 

“Do you want to shower now?” Chanyeol moved to lean on his elbows and Baekhyun squirmed a bit when he was pinned down, but all he did was flush, because he actually didn’t want Chanyeol to move.

“My belly is too full…” 

“Ah, are you gonna fall asleep if you go now,” Chanyeol teased, damp hair hitting Baekhyun’s forehead as he pressed their noses together, “My cute baby.” 

Baekhyun giggled and tried to nervously tug his shirt down at his sides, but doing that only made his hands brush Chanyeol’s hips.

 _Why did Chanyeol want to lay on him now?_ Now Baekhyun was getting worked up…

“Chanyeol…” Baekhyun whined, fingers curling up against Chanyeol’s pajama shirt, “I’m sorry… about tonight.” 

“What?” Chanyeol frowned and brushed a hand over Baekhyun’s forehead, “Sh, no. Don’t be.. the truth is I just wanted to spend time with you, I didn’t care about the dance.” 

“Still.. we left so fast and everything…”

“Hey,” Chanyeol moved off of him and shook his head as he pulled Baekhyun to sit up by his fingers, “And we’ve watched four movies, ate pizza, _and_ you're staying the night. I really don’t care, Baek. I…” He looked a bit shy and Baekhyun frowned when he pulled away to grab a stack of pajamas off the dresser, “Here, get dressed real quick. I wanna show you something.” 

At the quick change of topics, Baekhyun tilted his head and rolled off the soft mattress to accept the clothes, “Are… are you okay?” 

“Of course I am okay. You’re here so I’m okay,” Chanyeol smiled and leaned down to kiss his cheek, brushing his thumb across Baekhyun’s bottom lip, “I promise I won’t peek.” 

Baekhyun blushed and scurried silently into the corner to change.

“I just want to show you something,” Chanyeol continued with his back towards him, walking over to his closet directly opposite Baekhyun, “But it’s chilly out.” 

“You want to go outside?” Baekhyun asked as he licked his jeans off and yanked on grey sweatpants. 

_Wow,_ Chanyeol's things were really big on him, only his toes peeked out and he had to roll the waist a bit, but it didn’t matter because the long sleeve he’d been given came mid thigh. 

“I’m done.” 

Chanyeol turned around with a bright grin, a coat in his hand as he walked over, “Look at you, so pretty.” 

Baekhyun bashfully ducked his head to look at his toes sticking, “Oh.. no..” 

“Ah, don’t do that,” Chanyeol chided softly, bumping the bottom of his chin before holding the coat up for his arms to slide inside, “Pretending you aren’t gorgeous, tsk, I hate it. You’re beautiful, Baekhyun.” 

“No… no… _you.”_ Baekhyun stumbled out before his cheeks turned red and Chanyeol laughed as he pressed a kiss to his cheek, wrapping an arm around his waist beneath the coat.

“Me? Beautiful? You’re so sweet, baby.” 

Baekhyun was caught off guard when a peck was placed onto his lips, squeaking and trying to grab Chanyeol’s shirt for leverage, but by then Chanyeol was already turning to snatch a blanket off his bed and reaching for his hand. “Come on, let me show you something.” 

Baekhyun silently accepted, latching onto his hand and letting Chanyeol tug him down the hallway. 

He led him to some sort of game room and when they walked in Minseok was sitting at a computer in the corner and turned around confused.

 _“Hi.”_ Baekhyun squeaked as Chanyeol let him go to open up a sliding glass door in the corner. 

Minseok laughed and looked him over with headphones resting around his neck and a controller in hand. “Hey, you're friends with Kim Jongdae right?” 

Baekhyun raised a brow and nodded a bit. “Dae? Why? Is he being annoying again?” 

“Nah.” Minseok snickered and shook his head, “Just wondering. You look cute by the way.”

 _“Don't hit on him.”_ Chanyeol demanded, coming back to grab Baekhyun’s sleeve, “Come here, baby.” 

“Yah, I wasn’t,” Minseok rolled his eyes at the fact Chanyeol had pulled the curtains shut over the sliding glass door, “I just asked about his friend, didn’t I? Chill, Yeollie.” 

Chanyeol grumbled a _don't call me that like I’m two_ and pulled Baekhyun outside, shutting the covered glass door.

Baekhyun shivered from the chill, but he was taken back by how nice of a view things were out on the balcony, “Wow…” 

“It’s nice, huh?” 

Warmth covered his back and Baekhyun reached up to fix his glasses as Chanyeol leaned into his spine and wrapped the blanket around them both. “When my parents got divorced I used to come up here a lot, I thought you might like it.” 

Baekhyun nearly scoffed just at the word _might,_ it was gorgeous. There were not many houses on this side of town so the stars seemed extra bright without the light pollution, and Chanyeol had so many trees in his backyard it was insane.

“I.. I really like it. Like.. so much,” Baekhyun breathed, twisting his head to look as much as he could around, “Woah, look, you can see the moon so clearly.” 

“We’re lucky it’s not cloudy tonight.” Chanyeol whispered into his temple, gently tugging on his waist. “Sit down.” 

Baekhyun was so busy staring around that he didn’t even register that Chanyeol was yanking him down into his lap until he was already seated there, the taller resting on a red bean bag.

When he realized, Baekhyun surprisingly didn’t feel all that nervous. He was so excited to look at the stars that he was pretty sure it showed in his eyes. 

“Do you like Minseok’s mom?” Baekhyun asked, “Was your dad mad when your mom and her..” 

“Oh, it wasn’t like that,” Chanyeol laughed a bit and wrapped his arms around him, leaning against Baekhyun’s head. “My dad knew for a while that my mom… wasn’t really interested in men anymore, he was okay with it. I mean… divorce is hard in general, I don’t see him much at all, but they’re friends still. Minseok's dad was the one that had problems with Jina - Minseok's mom - leaving him for a woman. I guess… some people will never really understand things like love and gender and… I don’t know, I’m rambling.” 

“I ramble when I’m nervous too,” Baekhyun turned his head to look at him with a soft smile, “It’s okay. I get what you mean.” 

Chanyeol smiled really prettily, his ears went back a bit when he smiled this big and it made Baekhyun giggle because he only just realized how silly his ears were. They were really cute.

“What’re you laughing at?” Chanyeol snorted and brought the blanket higher on Baekhyun’s shoulders, “What? Why are you giggling!” 

Baekhyun earned a tickle to his belly and squealed, leaning over to hug Chanyeol’s neck, pressing his front against Chanyeol in order to hide his poor stomach from anymore tickle attacks. “I’m just laughing!”

“I know that look! You little punk!” Chanyeol chuckled and pet his back, “Fine. Just this once I won’t bother you for an answer.” 

Baekhyun looked at him with a cheesy, scrunched nose grin, giggling and pressing into his chest.

He had no idea what came over him, an hour ago he was blushing when Chanyeol leaned over his back to turn the volume up on the movie they were watching, and now he was all in Chanyeol’s space.

Maybe it was because he was tired.

Or, just because today went so much better than he’d planned. 

“Baek.” Chanyeol murmured, sliding a hand on his cheek, “Can I kiss you again?” 

_Oh, there was his blush again._

Baekhyun licked his lips and then felt stupid because he wasn’t sure if he was supposed to do that or not, and last time Chanyeol had just pecked his mouth a handful of times so he hadn’t had any time to- 

“I’m taking your silence as a yes, okay?”

_“Okay.”_

Chanyeol chuckled in a way that made his shoulders rise up and made Baekhyun able to feel the deep vibrations, “Oh, god, you’ll kill me at this rate, baby.” 

Baekhyun didn’t know what he meant by that, but couldn’t question him when Chanyeol was leaning over to gently kiss his mouth, his thumb pressed beneath Baekhyun’s bottom lip to separate his lips in order to slot his own between.

Baekhyun felt his fingers itching to hold something, which turned out to be Chanyeol’s neck, curling fingers around at the base of his neck and hiding fingertips in soft black hair. 

“Breathe,” Chanyeol mumbled, pulling back just a bit to smile at him, “Don’t be nervous.” 

“... ‘m gonna be bad…” 

“Sh,” Chanyeol soothed, peppering a few kisses to the side of Baekhyun’s mouth, “You're not bad, I’m just happy you’re here, relax. I’m your boyfriend, I’m going to teach you.” 

_Boyfriend?_

Baekhyun felt warmth fill his chest, because he’d only thought as such in his head, never out loud. 

And hearing Chanyeol say it.. it sounded really, really good.

“Kay…” 

“You try,” Chanyeol requested softly, petting large palms over Baekhyun’s back and sides, “Your turn! Give me a kiss!” He added more playfully when he noticed Baekhyun’s eyes go huge. 

Baekhyun clutched the collar of Chanyeol’s top, leaning up a bit to press his mouth half off the corner of Chanyeol’s, but that was nothing that couldn’t be fixed with a slight turn of Chanyeol’s head.

It was really cute, and he felt Chanyeol smile against his lips and a large hand hold the back of his head to gently tilt his head back a bit. 

“You’re so gentle,” Chanyeol murmured, “You don’t have to be.” 

Baekhyun gasped when teeth met his bottom lip, nails accidentally scraping Chanyeol’s collarbone when he curled his fingers into his collar quickly, jerking back with flushed cheeks and a red bottom lip.

“Too much?” Chanyeol asked quietly, a small smirk playing on his lips, “I got carried away, I’ve been waiting a long time, so I got worked up. I’m sorry.” 

Baekhyun could only nod dumbly, licking over his bottom lip as Chanyeol tugged his head under his chin.

He laid there for a moment, looking at his toes curling into the edge of Chanyeol’s pajama pants before he mumbled, “Chanyeol… I-I think I liked you since you helped clean out my cubby in first grade..” 

Chanyeol burst into laughter and squeezed him tighter, “Isn’t that funny? I clearly remember liking you since Sehun flew off the swings and you ran to tell a teacher on the first day of class. If this is a competition I think I win.” 

Baekhyun could only giggle into his chest and clutch a handful of his shirt. “You’re competitive.” 

“Maybe…” Chanyeol whispered, “Or maybe I’m just really motivated to do my best when it comes to things that have to do with you.” 

Baekhyun wanted to sit out there all night just to feel the way Chanyeol’s chest rumbled against his cheek.

***

“That’s _fucking_ nasty. Seriously? You have to do that here?” Chanyeol growled and flicked a napkin across the table at Minseok, “Dude!”

“Oh shut it!” The elder cried, “You and Baekhyun are ten times worse!” 

“They don’t make out in front of my salad!” Sehun screamed, whining dramatically and draping himself over Junmyeon’s back as if he wasn’t double the elders size. “My salad is disturbed now!” 

When Chanyeol told Baekhyun that he wanted to start sitting with them at lunch the smaller teen hadn't expected _this._

Every single lunch period they had now was just full of yelling back and forth and awkward flirting.

Baekhyun honestly didn’t think him and Chanyeol had been as bad as Sehun and Junmyeon at first _or_ as touchy as Minseok and Jongdae, but then again… he and Chanyeol weren’t really in that super lovey phase.

Baekhyun didn’t feel _uncomfortable_ with him at all, and he didn’t feel the need to be overly touchy (although Chanyeol disagreed with that) and to show off. He just felt _normal._

But, Baekhyun mostly just didn’t do much because he knew he’d be met with all kinds of looks from people, and he already got the strangest looks from other students.

To them, it must look weird. It probably looked ridiculous to see _the weird kids_ and Chanyeol, Jongin, Sehun, and Minseok all together, but they got along pretty well.

Kyungsoo even did his best not to throttle Jongdae and embarrass him in front of Minseok every five minutes and that said a lot. 

How the hell Minseok ended up here Baekhyun had no clue, he’d just sort of sauntered over one day claiming a seat by Jongdae and Baekhyun got an earful over the phone of his friend ranting all kinds of things about him. 

It was weird, new, and _odd,_ but Baekhyun actually enjoyed it a bit.

(Chanyeol holding his hand under the table probably helped a great deal with that.) 

“Fine if you want us to be gross, then we’ll be gross,” Chanyeol retorted.

Baekhyun squeaked, trying to take a bite of his cookie, but instead his chin was grabbed and a firm kiss placed on his mouth, he dropped his snack in an instant to hold Chanyeol’s wrist.

_“Gross!”_

_“Ugh! Disgusting!”_

_“My fucking salad, man!”_

Baekhyun giggled and hid his face in Chanyeol’s shirt when the other pulled away, blushing hard and laughing at their friends whining.

“You done being gross?” Chanyeol asked over Baekhyun’s head to his stepbrother, both arms wrapped around Baekhyun’s shoulders, “This is why I told you and Jongdae you can’t come on our trip.” 

Baekhyun frowned and peeked his glasses out over Chanyeol's arm, “What trip? The field trip?” 

He'd heard something recently about the junior class taking a trip down to a wildlife habitat, but his mom hadn’t been able to make the payment, and that was okay, Baekhyun didn’t really mind.

But he knew Chanyeol was a bit sad about it because Baekhyun told him he couldn’t pay for the trip on his behalf.

“Baekhyun doesn’t wanna go to that,” Kyungsoo murmured across the table, slumped against Jongin's side, “Because he has to leave his things in the locker room if he does that, and we know how that turned out last time.”

_“Soo!”_

_“Kyungsoo!”_

_“Why would you bring that up!”_

Baekhyun felt his heart jump into his throat even though he knew Kyungsoo was making a statement out of concern rather than trying to purposely make him think about it.

“Huh?” Chanyeol furrowed brows, “What’re you talking about?” 

Baekhyun launched at Chanyeol’s waist, burying into his top with heavy breathing, and it didn’t help that their table got really quiet. 

_“Baek…”_ He warned, leaning down to press a kiss to Baekhyun’s hair because it didn’t seem Baekhyun would come out of his hiding place for a bit, “... you said you’d tell me if-“

“It was last year, not this year,” Sehun spoke up with a loud sigh, shoving his salad tray into the middle of the table to lean on his palms. “I just found him locked in the gym, I don’t know what happened.” 

“Baek, sh, baby,” Chanyeol worried when Baekhyun’s breathing picked up, gently grabbing under his arms to hoist him up closer to his chest.

Baekhyun scrambled with eyes wide and breath coming out in pained, sharp sensations, throwing arms around his shoulders and holding on for dear life.

_“Oh fuck is he having an anxiety attack?”_

_“Someone dump out his bag, I know he has medicine in there.”_

“Baekhyun. Baby.” Chanyeol's eyes were blown wide, shifting to move off the seat and taking a spot right on the floor with Baekhyun in his lap.

The others were already causing a scene, and the last thing he knew Baekhyun would want would be for a bunch of people to be eyeballing his red faced, hard breathing and the tears slowly beginning to trickle from the corners of his eyes.

“Baby, sh, I know,” Chanyeol soothed despite not knowing what they had been referring to, petting his head and loosening his zip up a bit, having to force Baekhyun to let go of his collar just so he could get the smaller to sit back and breathe.

“If you look at me do you feel better? Just look at me, okay?” Chanyeol had no idea what to do, but as he pet Baekhyun’s hair back from his face and held his glasses in place he felt Baekhyun was breathing a _little_ better.

 _“Here!”_ Yixing yelled, an orange prescription bottle being placed at Chanyeol’s side. “He probably didn’t take it today. He’s been thinking he didn’t need them.” 

For that, Chanyeol wanted to scold him. He didn’t know what this _Prozac_ was, but he knew if it was prescribed to Baekhyun that he needed to take it.

“Baekhyun, let’s calm down,” He whispered, thumb brushing the shell of his ear, “And take some medicine, I’m going to take you straight home after, okay? Breathing, medicine, then home, okay?” He requested, bringing his slender hand to his mouth to peck his knuckles. 

Baekhyun’s face was stained with tears and beet red, but he managed a strangled _sorry_ despite that and it just made Chanyeol shush him and squeeze him harder. “Don’t you apologize. Don’t you _ever_ apologize. People are such _monsters.”_

The entire school was in this cafeteria, and Chanyeol didn’t care who heard. 

It was the truth after all. 

People could be monsters.

***

“You’re going somewhere?” 

Baekhyun nodded and looked up from his luggage to his mom in the doorway, “Mom, I told you that Chanyeol was taking me on a trip, remember?”

She hummed and walked into his room, “Where are you guys going?”

“I think… the snow,” Baekhyun sniffled and began to roll his clothes up into balls to fit in his bag, “He said his cell will have service, so I left the number on the fridge.” 

“You know, you’re only sixteen, I shouldn’t let you go out with the boy that made you have to take your medicine in front of a bunch of students.” 

Baekhyun’s shoulders stiffened up and he pushed his glasses back as he licked his lips, “It’s not like that… it wasn’t him… and.. plus, he planned this trip since I always miss all the school trips.” 

She eyed him for a moment before reluctantly sighing and reaching over to grab from the pile of clothes and taking a seat on the floor with him. “His mom knows where this place is?”

“Yes, mom.” 

“And it’s safe? And you’re not going to be doing anything dang-“

 _“Mom.”_ Baekhyun shook his head and laughed softly, “Chanyeol isn’t like that, you liked him last time you met him.” 

“That doesn’t mean anything, I liked Jongdae until he opened his mouth too.” 

Baekhyun burst into a fit of giggles at her teasing, when the truth was every time she saw his friends she put on that _happy mom_ face and asked if they wanted snacks. 

“Seriously,” She murmured and reached over to pinch his cheek fondly, “I can tell you really like this boy, so I’m not going to say anything. Okay, bug?”

“I’ve never… got to go on a trip before,” Baekhyun whispered, sitting back on his heels and chewing his lip, “Chanyeol is really nice, mom.” 

“I know,” She sighed like she hated to admit it, grumbling under her breath as she rearranged his suitcase. “Call me every morning, okay? Or text.” 

“I will.” 

“Baekhyun?” 

Baekhyun lifted his head with a nervous expression, messing with the socks in his lap, “Yeah?” 

“I’m just really happy when you’re happy, baby.” She soothed, reaching over to pet his cheek, just the fact that she looked so adoring yet _upset_ made Baekhyun a bit teary. “Regardless of whether I remember this Park boy or not, I know your friends wouldn’t say good things unless they meant it, and Junmyeon vouched for him and he once ratted you out for sneaking out, so I think I can trust him.” 

Baekhyun groaned at the reminder, huffing and puffing as he shoved socks into his suitcase, “I hate him.” 

“Aish, come give me a hug,” She ordered, sitting up on her knees to grab Baekhyun’s arm, “Your dad would be very happy to, I know… you don’t forgive him, but I just want you to know he would be happy for you.” 

Baekhyun was both annoyed and excited to hear such a thing, but he wasn’t quite ready to go _that_ far yet.

Maybe when he was much happier and content with where he was in life, and he was getting there, slowly, but surely.

“Also,” His mom sniffled and had teary eyes, “There are condoms in the bathroom, I know what teenage boys are up to, so if you need-“

 _“Mom!”_ Baekhyun shrieked and shoved her arm _, “Get out of my room!”_ He yelled at the top of his lungs with his face covered in a red blush.

  
***

  
“Ice cream?” Chanyeol laughed and turned his head to peer at Baekhyun in the passenger seat, “Again? At five in the morning?” He asked, laughing loud, “Baby, where can I find you ice cream this early?” 

“... store…” Baekhyun whined tiredly, stretching out in his seat and yawning loud. Every move he made had his marshmallow coat rubbing against the seat. _“Store…”_

Chanyeol cooed as his tiredness, it was his fault for bursting into his house and forcing him to pack up. “You aren’t excited for the trip? You’re just daydreaming about ice cream?” 

“It’s… 5 AM…” Baekhyun closed his eyes and leaned his cheek against the center console, “... still dreaming time…” 

Chanyeol tsked and scratched his scalp softly, massaging his head, “Are you going to dream about the snow?”

_“Mhm.”_

“And skiing? You know, it took three days for me to convince my mom to let the two of us go alone.” 

Baekhyun’s groggy eyes opened wider, stretching across the seat to kick his shoes into the floorboard. _“Snow!”_

“That’s the spirit, baby.” Chanyeol grinned, wishing he could lean down to kiss his head but he was driving, “I had my mom call and make sure our lodge was clean and everything.”

 _“Your lodge?”_ Baekhyun squawked and sat up properly. “Chanyeol…”

“Yah! Don’t give me that tone,” Chanyeol ordered, reaching over to snatch up his hand to kiss his knuckles, “Shush your face and put your contacts in, baby. I’m really good at skiing.” 

~

“I'm really bad at skiing!” Baekhyun screamed, grabbing hold of Chanyeol’s arm, his legs were sore and body freezing cold and yet sweating at the same time.

_Why did Chanyeol think this was fun?_

Baekhyun realized about half an hour ago when he was handed heavy ski boots and goggles that covered half his face, that this was not fun.

His contacts were burning and he suspected he put them inside out, his hands were sweating in his gloves and he didn’t have nearly enough energy for this as Chanyeol did. 

“No! You’re doing fine, baby!” Chanyeol argued, holding his hips and non stop laughing at Baekhyun’s penguin waddling to stay up. “Babe! Just put the poles in the ground and you’ll stay up.” 

Baekhyun pouted and stuck them down into the snow, eyes going wide, “Wah it- _Chanyeol!”_

The smaller teen went toppling over onto his bottom within a second and he heard Chanyeol burst into a fit of laughter which made him whine and reach down to undo his ski boots.

“Ah! Too cute! I need to record this!”

 _“No! Chanyeol!”_ Baekhyun squeaked offendedly, arms out at his sides like a child, abandoning his equipment to waddle up the side of the hill. “I hate you!”

“This is precious!” 

Chanyeol looked way too happy for someone that hadn’t even gotten to ski himself yet; it wasn’t that Chanyeol was a bad coach, Baekhyun really just wasn’t athletically inclined, so all he’d been doing was falling and sliding and he felt bruises starting under his clothes. 

“Chan!” Baekhyun whined, making grabby hands up at him for help, panting a bit from the cold and how much energy he’d used up just walking through the snow. 

“Ah, come here, clumsy.” Chanyeol cooed, pulling him close and basically holding him up, “Is it too much, baby?” 

Baekhyun pouted and reached up to remove his goggles, turning his face into a scowl, “My legs hurt.” 

“You look like an angry puppy.”

Chanyeol tapped his nose and it only made Baekhyun scrunch it up more and go weak kneed when his waist was released. 

His legs really felt like little twigs ready to snap. He was cold and weak and ready to go inside and lay by the fireplace. 

“Look, you're balancing in the boots just fine-“

Baekhyun grabbed ahold of Chanyeol’s top as he went slipping, yanking him down with him seeing as this was _his_ fault. 

Stupid handsome jock who had too many muscles that it was _unfair._

“Rude.” Chanyeol commented more than whined, resting over top of Baekhyun and brushing some snow off of his curls. “Okay, so maybe you’re not cut out for skiing.” 

Baekhyun huffed, “I’ve never been able to finish a mile on time, what makes you think I can do this? These clothes weigh more than me.” 

“My little baby,” Chanyeol crooned, leaning down to kiss his brow a handful of times.

Baekhyun knew they were more apologetic kisses than anything.

“Let’s go inside and tomorrow you can watch me ski, sound better?” Chanyeol murmured, sitting back to undo Baekhyun’s ski boots seeing as he most definitely wasn’t going to walk in them anymore. He was practically dead on his feet now.

“I’ll record you falling like you did me.” 

“Oh trust me, baby.” Chanyeol smirked and stood up to grab his hands, _“I won’t fall.”_

Baekhyun chose not to make a competition out of it. 

(It certainly wasn’t because he was sure Chanyeol was right… definitely not… _well..)_

He just let himself be helped out of the snow and stood on the deck, standing in his two pairs of thick socks to watch Chanyeol collect the gear and go hang them back up on the side of the lodge.

“Go, Chan!” Baekhyun giggled and grabbed onto the railing because his legs felt like jelly. “Hurry, hurry! My toes are cold!” 

Chanyeol began to cackle, breath showing up visibly as he carried gear back and forth, “Are you cheering for me right now! You can go inside, beautiful.” 

“... ‘m waiting!” Baekhyun grinned, “If Chanyeol freezes, then I’ll freeze too!” 

“I can guarantee that you’re the one colder than I am right now.” 

Baekhyun ignored that in favor of grabbing Chanyeol’s arm when he was close enough, pouting with blotchy, red speckled cheeks from the frozen air. 

“Ah, come here, baby,” Chanyeol laughed, but Baekhyun could hear the concern in his voice as he was practically tossed over his shoulder.

He squealed and latched onto the back of Chanyeol’s shirt, instinctively reaching up for his glasses but he forgot he was wearing contacts. 

“Do your feet hurt?” 

“Mhm.” 

“Your knees?” 

“My legs hurt all over, Chan. I hate exercise.” 

Chanyeol snickered and tossed him down onto the bed as soon as he walked into the small one room cabin, their bags still sat by the door because Baekhyun was impatient to look outside.

That turned out to be a mistake seeing as looking outside led to a swift _do you wanna ski?_ and Baekhyun fell for his dirty tricks.

“I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t know you’d be like a newborn deer out there.” 

_“Hey!”_ Baekhyun complained and popped up onto his elbows, “Mean!”

“Honest!”

“Still mean!” 

Chanyeol cackled and shook his head fondly as he walked around the small kitchen areas. “You quiet down and warm up, I’m getting you hot chocolate and then we can watch movies or something.” 

The _or something_ sounded way more suggestive when Baekhyun processed it, it reminded him that he _had_ taken his mom up on her offer only because… he wasn’t _opposed_ to the idea.

He was curious and he turned seventeen so soon… Baekhyun didn’t know what Chanyeol had planned and would prefer they just be prepared.

He sucked on his bottom lip as he sat up on the edge of the bed, reaching down to remove his socks and undo his bottoms.

“You want me to bring you one of my tops?” 

“Yes please.” 

Baekhyun frowned as he yanked his bottoms off, eyeing the little red spots on his knees and even on his legs. He’d taken a lot of falls, but he didn’t think it was _that_ many.

Wow, snow was brutal.

“Oh… _Baek..”_

For someone that played football - such a hands on sport - Chanyeol looked so sorry as he walked over, a sweatshirt hanging on his arm and two hot chocolates in hand.

“It’s not that bad,” Baekhyun argued, ignoring the sad eyes, “Can you get my contacts box and glasses?” 

Chanyeol ignored him momentarily to place the drinks on the side table and climbing into the bed, tugging him between his legs at the headboard with fingers lifting his top up with a silent question. 

Baekhyun just reached for the bottom of his top to take it off, having to shrug off two sweaters and a windbreaker too, shoulders even feeling sore from all the weak muscles he’d had to use today. 

“Baby… I’m not going to make you do it again.” 

“I’m okay,” Baekhyun whispered, bringing his cold legs closer to curl around Chanyeol's leg, “Just cold.” 

“Well I can fix that.” Chanyeol promised, moving the blankets off the corner of the bed to yank over on top of Baekhyun’s nearly naked body. 

Baekhyun’s skin tingled with the familiar burn of cold skin getting warmed up, sighing and leaning back against him tiredly. 

He had _never_ felt this exhausted.

“Our winter break is going to be boring then, huh?” 

“Why do you say that?”

“Because I can’t ski.” Baekhyun laughed with closed eyes, feeling fingers raising goosebumps on his shoulder, “What else can we do here?” 

“We can drink a million boxes worth of hot chocolate.” Chanyeol listed, “Or go look at mountains, or snuggle and watch movies, there’s a million things we can do, Baek. I’ve always told you I don’t care what we’re doing as long as I’m doing it with you, right?” 

Baekhyun rolled onto his side to curl up against Chanyeol’s legs, raising his head to press a kiss to Chanyeol’s lips with a soft blush and nervous fingers touching the others coat zipper, “Right.” 

“Why so nervous?” 

“.. just thinking about what we can do..” 

Chanyeol's brows raised at the tone, moving a palm from his shoulder to pet his hair off his forehead, “Are you getting a fever? Is this my innocent little boyfriend being suggestive? Hm?”

Baekhyun whined and tugged the blankets up to his nose, muffling his soft, _“You don’t want to?”_

“Oh, beautiful...” Chanyeol sighed fondly and leaned down to press an opened mouth kiss onto cold lips. Nuzzling into Baekhyun’s nose. “Warm up and take a nap, and then let’s do what you want, okay? You would pass out mid kiss.” 

_“Want that too.”_ Baekhyun pouted and reached up for his cheek again.

Chanyeol laughed and began pressing kisses to his face, “I’ll kiss you to sleep as soon as you remove those contacts and give me a pretty smile.” 

Baekhyun rolled out of his lap to do so immediately.


	2. Extra: Changes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of smut, then it’s sweet

Baekhyun had been growing tired of the snickering coming from his side of the bleachers for the last half hour. He could hear them, but pretended not to.

He pretended not to care that the cheerleaders had been making snide comments for the past half hour.

About his looks. About his character. About  _ Chanyeol. _

There were saying blatant lies about Chanyeol, and Baekhyun knew better because his boyfriend was sweet and kind and wouldn’t lie to him.

_ Especially  _ not considering… the recent things they were up to. 

Chanyeol was a softy, and after sex it was even worse, he clung and he wanted to talk about how worried he was about things like his next games or having to go visit his dad. Chanyeol liked to confess and vent and tell him whatever Baekhyun wanted to know when they laid there, tired and clingy.

Baekhyun was always embarrassed of it, but he asked so much and clung just as badly. Just the way Chanyeol looked with his temple beaded with sweat and eyes so fond made Baekhyun feel not as shy to ask him things that made him nervous.

Like whether or not Chanyeol was a  _ player  _ in the way people expected him to be.

So Baekhyun  _ knew  _ for a fact that Chanyeol had never slept with any of the cheerleaders. He knew that the girls were lying just to rattle him up, and it was, but not in the way they wanted him to get riled up.

They wanted him to cry. Run off with tears all over and look pathetic.

But Baekhyun was just  _ mad.  _

Chanyeol was his, and even though his boyfriend readily admitted to sleeping with two other people before him - they weren’t these cheerleaders - in fact, they’d both been from other schools entirely. 

He and Chanyeol had been together nearly the entire school year, about eight months, and Baekhyun always felt too embarrassed to speak up and tell Chanyeol that he still faced some harassment.

_ “He was so rough with me, there’s no way Byun could-“ _

Baekhyun was torn between  _ laughing  _ and throwing a fit because Chanyeol was incredibly sweet when they had sex, especially the first time.

When inside that lodge Baekhyun  _ knew  _ he and Chanyeol couldn’t just keep their hands to themselves the entire time, so when it eventually did happen it was a mix of awkward laughing and Baekhyun tripping over his pants.

His head hit the headboard instead of the pillow at one point and Chanyeol had been so concerned he outright argued that they stop in case he was hurt.

It was a disaster, but in the sweetest way. 

Needless to say, they’d both learned much more since then, and it got on Baekhyun’s nerves for anyone to claim that they knew Chanyeol more than he did.

He didn’t know where this feeling was coming from, the thought that Chanyeol had admirers was always at the forefront of his mind, but this…  _ just pissed him off. _

“Why are you lying?” Baekhyun murmured, standing from the bleachers to grab his backpack.

“Did he just say something? Was he talking to us?” One of the girls cackled.

Baekhyun’s jaw clenched, and it wasn’t like him at all, but when it came to stupid rumors - especially about Chanyeol - then he was  _ pissed.  _

“I said,” Baekhyun growled, adjusting his glasses before they slipped down his cold nose, “That Chanyeol never had sex with you. He has sex with me.” 

Then, the smaller teen was storming down the metal bleachers before the girls could even process, angry feet carrying him through the football field.

His hands clenched into Chanyeol’s sweatshirt sleeves that fell past his fingertips. 

“Hey! Baek, it’s break-“

Baekhyun ignored Jongin in favor of meeting eyes with Chanyeol who was gulping down Gatorade and raising a brow.

He was just lucky they were towards the end of practice and not running laps back and forth, because Baekhyun was positive he would’ve gotten mowed down by any of the football players. 

“I need the keys.” He demanded, bypassing the group of sweaty boys to approach the bench behind Chanyeol where all the waters and drinks sat.

Chanyeol knew he didn’t like the locker rooms and while Baekhyun was adamant that he could be inside of them so long as he was with people Chanyeol was  _ also  _ adamant that he could bring his things outside of the locker room instead, so Baekhyun never had to step foot inside of there.

“What? Baby?” Chanyeol asked, tone confused, reaching over to wrap a sweaty arm around his waist before Baekhyun could grab his backpack and run off. “Hey, wait, babe-“

“I’m  _ really  _ tired Chanyeol,” Baekhyun murmured, bringing a hand up to touch his cheek before pressing a kiss against the corner of his mouth quickly, “I'm not anxious. Don't worry.” 

Chanyeol was the  _ definition  _ of a worry wart though, so of course Baekhyun expected him to tug his hands and pull him towards the cars parked just beside the field.

“Chan,” Baekhyun huffed, “I said I’m okay-“

“You think I’m buying that? You don’t ever interrupt my practice, baby, so I know what’s up. It’s _okay_ if you do. If you look anxious then I’m done for the day. You know that. The team knows that. It’s _you_ first for me, so don't even try to give me that scolding look.” 

Baekhyun pouted because he  _ was  _ going to try for the puppy eyes and convince Chanyeol that he'd wait in the car.

“Okay. But I’m not anxious… just a bit embarrassed…” Baekhyun corrected, “So I want to hide in my boyfriend’s car… and he’s a  _ really _ sweet boyfriend so he’s going to let me hide in the car  _ and  _ go back to his football practice.” 

Chanyeol cackled and Baekhyun whined as he pressed a kiss to his head and locked an arm around his shoulders, “Not a chance. Nice try though. Very cute.” 

“You're so mean.” 

The larger hummed and kissed the side of his face a few more times in an obnoxious way that made Baekhyun blush and shuffle when Chanyeol released him to open the passenger door.

He knew there was a clear view of the car from the football field, it was one of the reasons Chanyeol began to move his car closer after school, because sometimes his practices ran so late it was dark, and Baekhyun expressed worry about him walking so far in the dark when he wasn’t there to watch him practice.

“Get your pretty ass in the car.” 

Baekhyun squeaked at the hand that squeezed his ass, leaning into the opened passenger seat to toss Chanyeol's and his own backpack into the back, blushing down his chest when he looked up to meet Chanyeol’s eyes as the other climbed into the driver's seat. 

_ “Rude.”  _

“You love it.” 

“I hate you sometimes,” Baekhyun whined and threw himself into the seat, slamming the door just to be a brat and all that earned was fond laughter from Chanyeol.

“Well aren’t you going to go now,” The smaller complained when Chanyeol turned the car on but didn’t pull out at all, he just looked at him.

“Not until you tell me why you’re embarrassed.” 

Baekhyun groaned and made a move to turn and huddle the other way but that only made Chanyeol laugh and grab the collar of his sweatshirt. “Baby… if you’re going to be this whiny today then I’m going to baby you extra hard, so stop being complicated and accept my babying already.” 

“That made  _ zero  _ sense.” 

“Made sense to me,” Chanyeol shot back with a grin, swiping his hand through his own hair to push back sweat covered bangs.

That made Baekhyun smile a bit seeing as Chanyeol’s hair was getting ridiculously long. He looked really cute. 

Baekhyun shuffled as close as possible to Chanyeol, knees pressing hard into the middle console as he reached over with both hands to smooth his hair back and shyly looking around his face rather than meeting his eyes.

“I… I accidentally said something that’s going to start a rumor tomorrow.” 

“Rumors? I don’t care about those. What about?” 

“Um…” 

Chanyeol raised a brow as Baekhyun clicked his tongue and turned pink eared, reaching over to rub his palm up his back, “It’s okay, baby. I’m sure it’s not that bad.” 

“Well, the girls were just… pissing me off, so I just said… you know… me and you…” 

Chanyeol gasped dramatically, “What? We’re what? Oh god, Baek! Did you accidentally tell them we’ve been dating  _ and  _ everyone already knows at school? Oh  _ no!  _ This isn’t  _ insane,  _ I didn’t see that coming-“

Baekhyun whined and leaned over to hide his nose in Chanyeol's cheek. “Shut up. I said we’ve been having sex. I said it… really loud. I’m so embarrassed, I can’t believe I said that.” 

As expected, Chanyeol just began to laugh, fingers drifting under the back of Baekhyun’s top to linger along a sliver of skin. “You must have been so mad, baby. What were they  _ saying?”  _

“That they fucked you.” 

_ “Them?”  _ Chanyeol burst with laughter that could have brought tears to his eyes, “As if! That’s hilarious! Wow, that’s hilarious, Baek-“ He cut himself off when he realized Baekhyun wasn’t laughing, immediately stopping with a hand rubbing the soft skin of his back, “Baby. You can’t possibly be upset about their lying, right? I love you. You know that.” 

“I know….” Baekhyun sighed, “It’s just… I don’t know, it’s hard because I get so jealous sometimes… Don’t worry, Yeol. It is funny. I’m just not in the mood to laugh right now, but.. but we can just go to the diner instead. Like we planned. Let’s forget about it and go eat.” 

Chanyeol didn’t reply for a second, then brought a hand up to hold his face and Baekhyun readied a sigh and another excuse.

“There’s no reason to be jealous. I’m jealous of plenty of people who even look at you.” 

“Oh  _ please  _ Chan-“

“You're so beautiful, Baek. Plenty of times I’ve been jealous of people for speaking with you. Hell, I’ve been jealous of Kyungsoo for being friends with you, and I even once got in a screaming match with Sehun on the playground for helping you in class.” 

Baekhyun snickered, “Being jealous in middle school hardly counts.” 

“No? Then how about today, when you smiled prettily at the new kid when I walked you to class. So  _ pretty.  _ And for a second there I saw him look at you and had to kiss you on the spot, remember?” 

Baekhyun did remember, it made him blush, because they’d gotten scolded by the teachers for kissing in the hallway even though it had been only a second.

“So if you’re really that jealous, you should just kiss me. I feel a lot better when I'm kissing you.” 

“I…” Baekhyun’s brows pulled together because Chanyeol kissed him in public  _ a lot.  _ He wasn’t that big on showing PDA but Chanyeol was always cutting him off with a few kisses or grabbing his chin for his attention just to peck his lips.

Was Chanyeol really jealous over him sometimes?

The thought felt really good.

“Okay,” He murmured before surging over to kiss him, palm laying over Chanyeol’s ear and fingers finder purchase in his hair.

Chanyeol was so warm from practice, his skin was hot to the touch, and Baekhyun didn’t normally find himself anymore attracted to Chanyeol than usual when he was sweaty and warm, but he did today.

He was just overwhelmed and the thought of those cheerleaders seeing them made him more confident to swipe his tongue across Chanyeol's lip and silently urge him to kiss him deeper.

It worked. Chanyeol released a small groan when Baekhyun took his bottom lip between his own lips for a harsh suck and then began to add his tongue into the mix.

Baekhyun didn’t consider himself a good kisser, but Chanyeol was one hell of a teacher and the hand that was slowly making its way down his back towards his jeans said his boyfriend certainly didn’t mind being used for practice. 

A soft gasp made its way out of Baekhyun’s throat and he jolted when Chanyeol grabbed a handful of his ass and started to nip at his lips. 

He whined a bit and dropped his hand to rest on Chanyeol's sweat covered top, the material was thin and gave him a clear feel of his abs, but even that wasn’t enough and Baekhyun began to blindly feel along for the end of the shirt.

Accidentally, Baekhyun drifted his hand a bit too low and Chanyeol moaned against his mouth when his palm met his cock through his gym shorts. 

It  _ was  _ an accident, but Chanyeol always responded very reactively to him, and the palm laying heavy against his front made Chanyeol's cock begin to swell up instantly. 

“F-Fuck, babe,” Chanyeol cursed against his mouth, opening his eyes to rub his nose against Baekhyun’s affectionately.

“Do you want me to…”

“Now? Here?” Chanyeol murmured, shooting his eyes to look at Baekhyun’s swollen mouth, “It’s okay, you don’t have to. Just give me a sec and then I’ll take us back-“

“I want to.” Baekhyun argued softly, curling his hands into his bottoms and squeezing softly at his length. “If that’s okay…” 

Chanyeol's brows shot up and he threw his head back against his seat with a slight pant, “God. If someone calls the cops on us I’m blaming you  _ so fast.”  _

Baekhyun had nearly completely forgotten that people were nearby. They’d made out a number of times at school in his car before, mostly during lunch time when they could slip out to eat lunch without their loud friends around, but they hadn’t done something like this.

But that didn’t change his decision, if anything it spurred it on.

“Kiss me,” Baekhyun whispered, shifting onto his knees in his seat, hips pressing into the center console as he leaned over it, fingers massaging over the heavy length in his hand.

Chanyeol never had to be told twice to kiss him. He was cupping his cheek to continue their make out session in an instant, the sound of their saliva was now mixed with an air of urgency.

Baekhyun used to be more worried than anything when taking care of each other during sex, he hadn’t been as experienced, and he didn’t know how to interpret much back then, but now he knew Chanyeol was good at telling him when he was doing good.

He was very vocal, and he wasn’t shy at all about telling Baekhyun how good he was doing, so it felt like second nature to listen to his deep groans when his hand dipped into Chanyeol’s pants to bring direct contact to his cock.

Baekhyun had to look in order to shift Chanyeol's bottoms down a bit, but that only gave his boyfriend more room to kiss the side of his neck.

The smaller brought a hand to his mouth to wet his palm and heard and felt the approving groan Chanyeol gave against his jaw when he licked his hand.

“God, you're so good at this.” 

Baekhyun grinned proudly and turned his head to accept the wet kisses placed to his parted mouth as he wrapped both hands around the cock and began to pump his erection with slick palms. 

“Little mynx,” Chanyeol growled, but he sweetly reached up to fix his glasses firmly on his nose, hot breath meeting Baekhyun’s, “There's nothing to be jealous of, baby. See? Bout- fuck, bout to cum for you and anyone looking will know somethings up. Do you like that?” 

He  _ did,  _ but the dirty thought made him flush and lean over to attach his lips to Chanyeol’s collarbone as he thumbed at Chanyeol's red tip.

Chanyeol tasted like sweat but that didn’t bother him at all, it just went to the erection growing between his own legs. 

“Ow- fuck, yes-“

Baekhyun giggled softly and nipped at the bite he'd placed on Chanyeol's collarbone, feeling the cock in his hands twitch. “It’s really purple.” 

“You're going to get one twice as purple when you get to my room.” Chanyeol hissed, chest rising and falling rapidly and mouth swollen, he licked his lips before bringing a hand beneath Baekhyun’s jeans and feeling through his underwear.

The smaller’s breath caught and he pouted a bit seeing as he didn’t want to be distracted, but ended up grasping his erection tighter and picking up his movements.

“Holy shit you're trying to kill me.” 

Baekhyun giggled and saw Chanyeol reaching over for a spare jacket from the backseat, but before the jacket could be thrown over the cum about to spill Baekhyun was already leaning down to lap at the mess. 

“F- _ shit! Baek, fuck, what-“ _

Baekhyun made a surprised noise when Chanyeol tossed a hand over the back of his head and pushed him down a bit more onto his erection, but knew it was more reflex than anything when salty spurts of cum began to fill his mouth.

“You're  _ fucking  _ insane- f-“ Chanyeol huffed and moaned as his harsh hand on the back of Baekhyun’s head turned into a petting motion and he spread his knees as far as possible. “Goddamn. That’s my baby. Full of surprises.” 

Baekhyun agreed but it sounded more of a muffled  _ Mhm  _ against the cock between his lips, taking his time to clean up around his erection for a few moments. 

But when Chanyeol cupped his ass Baekhyun jerked back with a squeak, a line of cum and spit on his chin.

“Someone is worked up too.” Chanyeol teased, but his eyes were incredibly adoring as he shifted to pull his shorts back up. “Can you even last the five minute drive to your house?” 

Baekhyun licked his lips, bashfully pressing his hands between his knees as he nodded, “My mom isn’t home, can you make it fast?” 

Chanyeol laughed and leaned over to collect his lips for a kiss, thumb brushing the line of cum back into his mouth before lovingly kissing his nose. “I’ll speed.” 

And just like that Baekhyun was shuffling in his seat and clutching Chanyeol’s arm as they sped out of the parking lot.

“Chanyeol, do you think they saw?”

“Well, I know for sure there’s going to be  _ a lot  _ of rumors going around tomorrow. Can you imagine their faces when they’re hit with a rumor about us getting handsy in the parking lot?” 

Baekhyun laughed, “Now that’s funny.” 

***

There was nothing Baekhyun loved more than weekends. 

On those days he could spend as much time as he wanted with Chanyeol without classes getting in the way or their annoying friends.

Sometimes they just watched movies, or when it was warm enough out they would get into petty water fights until it ended up with Baekhyun over his shoulder screaming as Chanyeol threw him in the pool.

But other times, it was extra special. 

They’d go visit the lodge, or go do something fun like go to the amusement park. Or, like tonight, they would go somewhere off-road.

Something they both had in common was their overwhelming love for the stars, but for the best view of them they had to drive where no light pollution got in the way.

That was when they shone the brightest.

And it was also where Baekhyun felt the calmest - tucked against Chanyeol's side with his head to his chest and a portable DVD player waiting to be used beside him. 

The bed of Minseok’s moms truck wasn’t the most comfortable, but dragging piles of pillows and blankets down the stairs was well worth it for comfort, because they both knew they’d spend hours out here.

“Are you getting sleepy?” 

“I’m not tired yet.” 

Baekhyun hummed and reached up to pet Chanyeol’s jaw, “It’s because you took a nap earlier, silly. Now you’re going to be up all night.” 

Chanyeol squeezed around his shoulders and reached down to fix the blanket over Baekhyun’s back, pressing a kiss to the center of his forehead. “That’s okay, I’ll look after you instead of sleeping.” 

Baekhyun licked his lips and knew he should be used to the rush of adoration that filled him when Chanyeol said such things, but he wasn’t. Chanyeol was just so sweet all the time that it was hard to not be overwhelmed by it.

He sat up on his elbow to lean over and press a soft kiss to the corner of Chanyeol’s mouth before dropping back down onto his chest, seeing the twinkle in Chanyeol's eyes when he turned to look at him.

Baekhyun snuggled into him, tossing his pajama covered leg over Chanyeol’s hips and latching on with a nuzzle of his cheek into his chest. 

“My little koala bear.” Chanyeol chided softly, voice barely a whisper, but seeing as it was just them parked on the side of a mountain, everything was heard easily.

Baekhyun preferred it. He'd much rather have the silence with only Chanyeol to fill it than be stuck in a stuffy classroom, and he'd much rather have the natural light of stars than white light bulbs.

“Senior year I’m going to intern at the hospital my mom works at,” Baekhyun murmured.

“I know, baby. You said it was good to get into medicine now that way your resume looks good for when you apply for the veterinary program.” 

“It just makes me sad,” Baekhyun sighed, hand clutching a handful of Chanyeol’s shirt, “We won’t have as much time together.” 

“Hey. It’s okay, there’s always weekends like this, and we’re always going to make time.” 

Baekhyun lifted his head up to look at Chanyeol, eyes tired looking, “I’m worried. You know couples always say that they grow apart and I don’t want that to be us. That’s what my mom said about her and my dad too…” 

“That’s just the adult way of trying to cover up what really happened,” Chanyeol laughed quietly, “That's not going to be us, Baek. I’m going to annoy you until we’re old and you have to give me sponge baths.” 

Baekhyun burst with laughter and smacked his chest, “If you're that old then I’m going to be that old  _ too, Chanyeol!  _ We’re going to have nobody to give us sponge baths!” 

Chanyeol snickered and their laughter trailed off after a few moments before he wrapped Baekhyun up closer to his chest and leaned his head onto soft brown hair. 

“I'm not kidding, Baekhyun. I’m going to love you as long as I can. We still have so much time, we’re young and shouldn’t worry so soon. I’m going to watch your back and you watch mine and we just need each other.”

“And Jongdae and Sehun to yell at.” 

“God those two never shut up, do they?” 

Baekhyun laughed and reached up to use his sleeve to wipe off his glasses, “They’re right. We are pretty gross. I mean who just comes out into the middle of nowhere just to look at the stars, we’re the worst.” 

“I think we’re pretty cool,” Chanyeol murmured. “I’d much rather be doing this with you than like drinking or whatever the other football players do on the weekends. I’m happier with you than anyone else, Baek.” 

Tongue tied, Baekhyun smiled and pressed a chaste kiss to the inside of Chanyeol’s wrist, reaching up to grab the hand that was dangling over his shoulder to hold. “Me too.” 

Chanyeol sighed, but it was a content noise, one of pure happiness, as Baekhyun played with his fingertips.

“Want to start a movie, baby?” 

“Oh.” Baekhyun shuffled to roll over and grab the DVD player, “Yeah, I’ll probably pass out in a bit-“

_ “Hey! Look at that…”  _ Chanyeol laughed and shifted onto his elbow to point, “It’s a shooting star.” 

They’d never seen a shooting star while stargazing before, not even when they sat on the balcony outside the game room at Chanyeol's house.

“Make a wish, baby.” 

“I don’t have a wish,” Baekhyun muttered.

“Everyone has a wish, beautiful.” 

“No,” Baekhyun laughed and looked away to lay back down beside Chanyeol, “I really don’t have a wish, I have everything I need already.” 

Chanyeol's face turned into a deep dimpled smile and he rolled his eyes a bit, “Well now you make me feel bad.” 

“What’d you wish for?” 

“Don't laugh. But I really want a dog.” 

Baekhyun laughed anyway, but Chanyeol didn’t scold him for it. “How come when I want to say something cute to you, you always ruin it, but when you say something cute to me I just kiss you.” 

“Oh shush, you know I love you.” Chanyeol complained, snatching his waist and hiding his chest into messy curls, “And you love me,  _ and  _ you’ll love the dog I’m gonna get.” 

“Well, you're right about one thing - I probably will love the dog-  _ kidding! Kidding! Chan!”  _ Baekhyun screeched. 

He should have seen the tickle attack coming, but even if he  _ did _ he would have just let it happen. 

**Author's Note:**

> Ah, this is my third high school based story... I should just create a series thing for school based stories 🔪
> 
> https://curiouscat.qa/Gigi_B56 - Ask me questions!
> 
> Twitter: Gigi_B56 - Come see sneak peeks of stories!


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